Nintendo Switch games are too expensive and have every reason to be

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD costs $10 more on the Nintendo Switch than it did on the Wii. And it's our own fault.

[masterfox]

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD costs $10 more on the Nintendo Switch than it did on the Wii. And it's our own fault."

I couldn't agree more, and other several issues in general with Nintendo and the Switch, yep is your fault :)

[Jin_Sakai]

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD costs $10 more on the Nintendo Switch than it did on the Wii. And it's our own fault."

True. It’s currently the top selling game on Amazon’s best sellers. So don’t expect anything less than $60 for remasters.

[mikeslemonade]

That’s just cause Nintendo is greedy. The games actually aren’t worth more.

[Nuvem]

Almost every for-profit company is greedy. Nintendo just knows that their consumer-base is willing to pay that much. So it is the consumer-base's fault.

[Silly gameAr]

Nintendo can do it, and no one will say a word. Anyone else does it, and it's an internet witch hunt. They're looking to burn people at the stake.

[mikeslemonade]

Well each base will pay for it. If MS and Sony always had their games at full price, people would still buy it. They just wouldn’t grow as much. It limits Nintendo’s growth potential.

[Zhipp]

That depends on how you define "worth". Nintendo games tend to not depreciate in value, so if you're someone who resells their games after finishing them Nintendo games are absolutely worth more.

In terms of budget, though? Hell no they're not worth more.

[1nsomniac]

The reason Nintendo get away with it is its predominantly children who play their games and own their systems. These are the people that are the easiest to exploit. That doesn’t make it ok! Not at all.

It’s Nintendo’s scummy fault and we shouldn’t be allowing them a free pass by blaming others!

[LegoIsAwesome]

Its actually funny on my local game store BOTW is still in full price for a 2017 game.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

They do the same with 3DS games, they're hardly in stores now, but the ones you do see still command full price.

[NotoriousWhiz]

People vote with their wallets, don't want to pay $60 for a remaster, don't buy it. Just don't be mad that your vote is small enough to not matter. I wish it was less than $60, but $60 won't stop me from enjoying a great game on my Switch.

[BattleCat]

Nintendo for the Family and for the kids. :) It's a loveletter to all that parents, who don't have much money. That's Nintendo

[gold_drake]

i hope ur being sarcastic ha

[ocelot07]

Surely that be Xbox lol? I don't trust gamepass. But right now it's a bargain series s plus gamepass is for the parents who don't have much money.

[Silly gameAr]

I don't trust MS or Gamepass either, but you have a good point.

[Shiken]

As an adult who owns all three consoles, the Switch gets the most playtime. That is why the demographic is mainly for adults with busy lives. Several studies have shown that to be true, the hybrid nature is just too convenient.

[CBaoth]

Is that why the majority of advertising appears on Disney, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network? Nintendo in Japan caters to the entire family. In the States, not so much. But please continue to back up your assertions with anecdotal evidence. I find it inspirational!

[Shiken]

The majority of their ads have beeb centered around adults using the system, and most people that use it are recorded to be over the age of 18.

Nice try, maybe look up the definition of everyone and realize that everyone =/= for kids if the art style of their 1st party games has you confused.

[smashman98]

Yep fans consistently come out in droves to support the games and in the end fans are the one to suffer. In fact I actually fear not buying nintendo's games at launch simply due to the fact that If I don't I may end up paying more down the line.

[DragonWarrior19]

That's just the nature of game development. Games cost money, even remasters like this. The cost of development goes up every year and is absolutely nowhere near the cost it was when this game was originally released. That's why next gen games are starting to cost $70. Gaming is not a cheap hobby and you are lying to yourself if you believe it it.

[CrimsonWing69]

How much did this remaster cost to develop in comparison to something like Breath of the Wild? How come some games launch at a $19.99 price tag like Resident 4 - 6 Remaster on the PS4? Please explain to me profit margins and how they come up with what’s economically viable for an MSRP.

I highly doubt this had to be $60 nor was it expensive to produce. I think Nintendo knows what their consumers will pay and will bend them over a barrel because they just take it and smile.

[CorndogBurglar]

Wow. So a decade old game thats already finished and is just having some remaster work done warrants a $60 pricetag? Are you insane? We're talking about a game that already earned Nintendo millions of dollars. In what world is it okay to charge the same as a brand new game that went through full development for a decade old game being remastered.

Yes, game development had gotten more expensive since the Xbox 360 came out, when we last saw a price hike for games. I get another price hike happening now, 15 years later. But no one with a brain can justify charging full price for a decade old remaster that only went through a fraction of development as every other new, non-remastered game.

[LucasRuinedChildhood]

lol. The financial reports tell a very different story. You're parroting misinformation from, to be frank, corporate apologists like Colin Moriarty and Andrea Renee who never source any actual evidence for how unprofitable games are, nor could they if tried.

This is a lazy, barebones "remaster" like 3D All-Stars - it's basically just a port of an old game. Anyone who knows anything about games development knows that ports and remasters are incredibly cheap to do and are highly profitable (that's why we see so many of them).

This port is being sold at $60 because there are enough people out there who are willing to buy it at that price. If consumers are willing to hand over their money for an overpriced product, Nintendo will gladly take it. That's all there is to it. There has always been well priced and over-priced remasters (e.g. L.A. Noire Remastered). You're trying to rationalize a corporation being greedy as being something else.

Think about this logically. Loads of proper remakes with lengthy development times have been sold for $40 (Ratchet & Clank, Crash, Shadow of the Colossus, Spyro, etc) and were highly profitable.

If you think it wouldn't be profitable at $50, think harder. Way more effort went into remastering Modern Warfare 2's campaign (new assets, visual effects, etc) and it only cost $20. Why? Because the market wouldn't have tolerated a price any higher than that for what was being offered.

If we saw the profits for individual games (e.g. an equivalent to BoxOfficeMojo for games), this narrative you're regurgitating would die off.

Games are more profitable than ever. Games development, like the cost of movies, is going up because studios can justify rising costs in the pursuit of these rising profits.
- games sell way more now and have a far bigger audience
- publishers get a much larger cut due to digital sales
- games are more monetized through micro-transactions and deluxe editions, etc.

[smashman98]

Lol I defended the 10 dollar price increase on next gen consoles. But you are lying to yourself if you think Nintendo is selling Skyward Sword HD at a premium due to "cost".

[ShadowWolf712]

So you're saying this remaster only took marginally less work than a brand-new AAA title?

[CorndogBurglar]

There's obviously nothing wrong with charging full price for a new game when it launches. Obviously lol. There's also nothing wrong with people buying them at launch. If they want it that bad and want to pay fill price, no big deal. But who the hell wants to pay full price for a game thats been out for years? Its just silly. And this is even worse. A remaster of a decade
old game warrants the same price tag as a brand nee entry in the series? Thats just laughable.

Its a shame too, because I wanted to get this. But I can't justify it.

[smashman98]

And to top it all off this game is 10 dollars more than it originally costed.

[badz149]

"But who the hell wants to pay full price for a game thats been out for years?"

To answer your question, Nintendo's sheep do and they will defend it to their grave!

[Lexreborn2]

I’m just not going to buy them anytime soon. I’m tired of Nintendo feeling like they are a special grade of value. The illusion is gone that Nintendo quality trash means nothing when you have competition hitting with quality hits as well.

[Fraggle1987]

100% true. The sheep buy it at that price then they will continue to price them accordingly.

[aaronaton]

The question seems like some kind of Paradox. How can something be too expensive, but then justified?

[CrimsonWing69]

Well, now you’re getting into perceived value. I think the judgement is based on the same product within the market. How many remasters on PS4 or Xbone were full price?

It’s like if there was a Burger Joint that sold Burgers at $20 and fans always buy them, but they’re no different than those $5 burgers from McDonald’s or Burger King.

You can’t argue with the Burger fans that $20 is too much for a burger when they say they “got their money’s worth” since that’s perceived value. However, someone with a brain could easily say if the similar burger can be purchased for $5 then the $20 burger is overpriced.

I guess what I’m saying is perceived value vs. common sense based on market prices of a similar product.

[NotoriousWhiz]

Exactly. Nintendo has conditioned us to pay top dollar for their games given that they never go on sale or receive a whopping 30% off for a few days after being on the market for a few years.

And because they do that, you can't even find discounted games on the used market either. The going price of a pre-owned Skyward Sword on the Wii on eBay is ~$40.

People can wait out Sony or Microsoft's games because they will discount the price massively within a year or two. Bloodborne and Horizon for 5$? Sign me up!

Personally, I never pay full price for an Ubisoft game cause I know it'll be on sale at 50% off several times per year.

[neomahi]

Um, no. And they take forever to price drop.

[Tetsdah]

Skyward Sword is already sold out physically. Oh yea... $70 games are happening. Nintendo will join in at some point as well.

But on another note, yea Nintendo groomed their fans a long time ago. They don't gaf about Twitter or media outrage, because their fanbase buy their games in droves. But there's so little media coverage anyway that it never mattered anyway. What possibly irritates me more is how often they're ignored of ridicule. Where are the people using the economy as a means of push back? Literally $60 for mainly a port that came out in 2011. Yet people are going insane about a $70 remake that has far more effort than a majority of its AAA peers, let alone SS. That came out in 2009. I bring up the years they came out, because another justification I've seen, is that this is mainly for people haven't played it. Da fuq you mean!? Why isn't that even more of justification for DSR price point?

Again, these companies give no fucks about the bad media unless it affects their sales. But there hasn't really been negative media challenging Nintendo about it whatsoever. I have just been observing that even closer since the $10 increase. I just find it comical really.

[generic-user-name]

Nintendo have always gotten a special pass in mainstream media, simply follow some journos on twitter and watch how giddy they get when a Nintendo Direct is revealed compared to any other showcase or event. A remake for the worst Zelda game (which still sits at 93 on meta because of course it does)? $60, no complaints.

[roadkillers]

I don't see this as an issue. How do you guys have time for games? I started RE7 a month ago and I'm about 2/3rds through the game on my first play through. People who are beating these $60 dollar remasters in a week, especially Zelda, need to find something more to do with all their time.

[ManMarmalade]

There are 7.6 billion people alive on this earth. People have time. Let them enjoy things.

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

Don't forget, the world went to heck, so a lot of people do have more time than they used to...for better or worse. Mostly for worse, but hey, there's time to play games now. That said, if you're lucky enough to still have full-time employment, your position is more enviable.

Anyways, even in normal times, gaming is a hobby. Who are you to berate what people do with their time if it makes them happy and isn't dangerous or illegal? They could find time to do heroin instead. Would that be better? I don't think so. There are people who lead busy lives, and make the time for games, even if it's only once or twice a week. Everyone's different, and there's enough BS in the world that I for one am glad we are free to enjoy what we enjoy.

[roadkillers]

Oh, so the alternative to video games is heroin? haha

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

Lulz. I'm just saying, videogames aren't the worst thing out there. Sure, there are habits that would be considered "healthier", probably by those who engage in the "superior" hobby of binging Netflix all day, but at least gamers are staying out of trouble. And heck, many people are beyond depressed right now, and some may even be the type to turn to recreational drugs. Heroin would be an extreme example, but it wouldn't be a thing if no one ever did it. Finding a hobby of any kind to make one happy is preferable to a lot of other things people can sadly get up to in this messed up world.

[Rebel_Scum]

lol it took me two years to finish Twilight Princess.

[generic-user-name]

Strange take for someone commenting on a video game website.

[Games1st]

Because people buy it. I'll wait for the selects discount (maybe this year or next) or buy preowned.

[InklingGirl]

I don't think most people realize a lot of games being ported from the Wii and Wii U especially didn't sell well and Nintendo never recouped their development costs so this is their chance too. While I think $60 is to high for a older title I understand their reasoning.

Also on a side note if you buy the game even on day one at a Walmart it's $50 off the shelf, it's about on par with the old Best Buy Gamers Unlocked Program. I just bought Super Mario 3D World for $50.

[Outlawzz]

I buy my games used now from nintendo on eBay. Much easier on my wallet. Usually people sell them for $20-$30 less.
Good thing is they retain their value so I can sell them for the same amount I bought them for.

[Kurt Russell]

Ebay route it pretty good, particularly if you yourself resell. You can buy, play through and sell for what you bought.

[Knightofelemia]

Nintendo rarely throws their games on a price drop even if the game has been out for long time the price might drop but not by much. Now where near the price drops Sony and Microsoft throw on their first party titles that have been out for a while. I grabbed Donkey Kong for the Switch when it came out and the game is still floating around the same price and it's been out for a few years now. I want Skyward Sword I have not played it if I have to pay $80 Canadian new for it I will grab it. I want Nintendo to follow Sony and Microsoft if the game has been out for a while drop the price.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Depends on the game, with the most recent God of War, I think I waited a 2 or 3 years for it to hit that $30 price point where I scooped it up, Nintendo rarely reduced the prices on their old games, I just wait for their sales, hence why my digital collection on Switch is so huge.

[Relientk77]

I worry for the day Nintendo makes their games $70

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

Come up here to Canada, and you can pay $80...and $100 for Joycons. Of course, if the price goes up to $70 in the US, it will probably be like $90 here because exchange rate. Yay...

[Knightofelemia]

Depends where in Canada you are also at that $80 game in some Provinces can cost extra with GST, PST, and HST all thrown in together into the mix as well. I would hate to picture what a game would cost in the Yukon, Nunavut, and NWT that shit has to get flown in. A case of Coke or Pepsi is pretty expensive up there same with food.

[Inverno]

It's not just Skyward Sword, not just nintendo. I'm tired of half efforts being put in products that're then sold at prices that they aren't worth.

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

Yeah...we did this. I love Nintendo, but they're the poster child for why I don't like when a company gets too successful. They hear our criticisms, but many people (even those raising criticism) purchase their products anyways.

Personally, I go to great lengths to avoid paying full price for old games, but that's just me. It took a Black Friday sale, and $27 worth of coins for me to get Breath of the Wild for an acceptable price, but I did it. I got it for $28CAD. I look forward to purchasing another Nintendo first party title next Black Friday. It's a good thing I waste so much money on indie games I barely play, if at all. My Switch is looking a lot like my Steam account, now that I think of it. So...I suppose I wasted a lot of money just so I wouldn't waste money...but it was for the principle! Or I just need more restraint when it comes to game sales, and budget titles that sound remotely interesting.

Nintendo: "We still have your money, bruh."

[Bronbron92]

Lol suck it up if you don’t want to pay that much then wait for it to hopefully drop if not then don’t buy it at all or shut up and just bite the bullet

[QuePasa87]

I wonder if it's too hopeful to think fans will wise up someday

[badz149]

Nintendo fans? NEVER!

[FreeFallFrenzy]

I'll put this game in my Wishlist folder on the eShop and when it is 33-40% off I will buy it. I waited for BotW, and Link's Awakening, I can wait for this one as well. And still no Wind Waker?! WTH Nintendo!

[CDbiggen]

I'm a switch player/fan for four player local games, looking forward to Mario golf, but I can't justify these expensive ports. Fair enough some people didn't play this on Wii, but charge less. This is just stingy, and if that's how Ninty want to be, then I'll encourage everyone to download dolphin, get the 4k fan texture pack, and play that.

[Harryvok]

Of all my friends into video games, there are none more willing to lap up every drop of rehashed content than the die hard Nintendo fans. They readily admit it. They will pay whatever Nintendo charge for the 4th release of some game from 1982. If they're going to pay it, of course Nintendo are going to charge it.

[FallenAngel1984]

“The $20 price hike to $49.99 is the devil's deal we make to play it on a portable platform.”

Being portable always meant a game was cheaper than its console counterpart in prior generations. Switch being a hybrid system yet not having hybrid prices for its first party games exemplifies Nintendo at its worst

[Father__Merrin]

Nintendo are the nickle and dime you company. They come across as somewhat friendly but i bet there a bunch of satanists in the board room

[badz149]

somewhat friendly?? I don't know where you've been this past decade, but Nintendo is one of the most predatory and anti-consumer gaming company in existence today.

[Nerdsworth]

I don't support Nintendo on purpose, so how is this "our fault"? It's you Nintendo fool's fault.

[badz149]

they prefer to be called SHEEP. for them it's cute and somewhat fit the image of their can-do-no-wrong Nintendo overloard

[xetiro]

I don't understand why so many people think they know how much a "video-game" worth and how it should be priced. Do you also do that for other products?

So when you say a game shouldn't cost $60 but $30, whats your financial logic behind that argument?

It's the market that decides how much Nintendo worth and how much Nintendo can charge for their products. Same for every other company.

[ufo8mycat]

Switch games should NOT be costing as much as they do. Switch games are a generation behind when it comes to games, yet they charging the same price?

In the end, not surprised, their biggest market, children, don't care, and their mothers blindly buy it regardless for their children, not being aware on what the price should be.

[Docmortem]

If they have every reason to be expensive ... they are not too expensive ...

[Iltapalanyymi]

nintendrones are unhinged

[Rachel_Alucard]

This has been going since the mid 2000s. Many titles were staying at full price for at least half a decade. I remember seeing Paper Mario TTYD at $50 retail in 2009. Nintendo Seal of Quality isn't a thing anymore, it's just a BS excuse to get away with business first tactics. They don't compete with the other hardware because they simply can't outpace them in hardware, software, and pricing. But because they are not competing they can pull things like this and nobody can say a word. You saw what happened with all the rage over sword and shield and still getting 9/10s and millions of sales. They can put out the most low effort cash grab and just rake in dough from brand loyalty alone. All hope is lost with them. Just be fearful of what will happen if Xbox leaves the market and Playstation runs solo and you'll see the same thing.

[JL2930]

I'd rather pay 60 for a remastered Nintendo game than 20 for a Sony interactive movie I wont enjoy. If you're that poor don't buy them.

[KeyAppearance]

This really makes me glad Sony does a greatest hits label, everyone should do that! I really disagree with Nintendo's reasoning of their prices being that their games keep their value.

I mean if I can get TLOU for like £8-10 currently, I don't see how most of their games are worth £30+ still. They should really mark them down after the initial period so more people can get it.

[BioShockGX]

Sadly the same thing will happen with $70 games.

[tagzskie]

Im not proud to say this but these type of games deserved to be used in SX OS and atmosphere if you know what i mean.. I support games that deserve to be supported too bad its not this one.

[Natversion1]

Your fault maybe but not mine. I paid £70 for both Mario Odyssey and BOTW. I'm happy to wait for offers and discounts.

[lellkay]

I remember when Shadow of the Collosus remake came out with completely remade graphics and a bit of new content. It's RRP was £25.

I remember when Crash N'sane trilogy rebuild all the graphics of 3 games, and added in some cut levels. It's RRP was £25.

Skyward Sword is the same game but you can play it with a normal controller. 11 years later. and it's £50.

Nintendo fans need to stop lapping this up. Come on.

[Emme]

The 3D Mario Box was overpriced, too, didnt bother anyone. I guess some of those who preordered Skyward Sword might be disappointed when they first play it, exspecting more than a raw port.

[MeteorPanda]

l just want everyone to remember the collective shitstorm the Vita got for the memory cards. When the games were cheap af. people complained and sony abandoned ship. Lve not bought any nintendo games outside smash and mario kart so lm doing my part l guess. It's so stupid to keep the prices the same, l'd actually play BOTW if it wasnt full price. instead lm gonna watch a lets play of it for BOTW2.

[StoneyYoshi]

And this is why I find the game for sale on offer up or facebook marketplace for 40-45 bucks if I don't want the game immediately.

[thesoftware730]

Man you gamers are so angry.
The funny thing is 1/2 the people in here probably don't own a Switch, so buying it at any price is a non issue, but they take any opportunity to bitch.

I would prefer a lower price as well, but just because I or anyone else buys it, why do we have to be called sheep?

the biggest thing tho, if you dont like it, dont buy it!!!

Reminds me of CoD, hearing people complain every year and each year the game sets a new records. N4G and other gaming forums do not make up the healthy portion of gaming, we are the minority.

[Loadedklip]

It's all about the demand. Nintendo is the Apple of video games. Yes they make amazing stuff but even when they don't, people will still pay more than they should for it.