Retail price in 3rd world countries without official Nintendo stores will be FAR more expensive lol
Could be double the price, even though 3rd worlders earn 5-10 times less.
It's quite literally unaffordable and it seems Nintendo is trying their hardest to kill 2nd handed market place with all these empty physical cartridges and even more digital DRM that make sharing even more pain in the ass.
$299 in 2017 is the same as $390 today
Your thread title says to be realistic, not hysterical
Realistically, it's a $60 increase for the console. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Vote with your wallet.
It'll be interesting to see the new price once tariff's are taken into account though LOL
Thats where my mind is at right now. I'm aiming just for the console, pro controller, and web cam. The $90 on physical just makes 0 sense and its not even physical b/c you still have to download the damn game from their server
For reference in the US no game has been listed with an MSRP of $90. News sites just wrote some of the European prices in USD without converting. Currently the highest listed MSRP is $80. Now of course that is before taxes but still the articles and well... everyone has been very misleading lol.
Why the webcam? It seems like you might be able to use your own one. If you have one, try it first. Also, I found a more appealing licensed one in the shape of a Piranha plant that is gonna be sold for less.
If that's the case then I'm definitely interested in using our own. Especially if it can push the frame rate up to 60, since the one they showed was lagging pretty bad.
@Ryab Ah ok so it seems that misinformation is spreading like wild fire.
If the games costed $90 at launch, but were half priced in a year or two, it wouldn't be so bad. That's already the strategy for a lot of games that launch at $60 but with season passes and day 1 DLC, then launch a "game of the year edition" including that content at a discount later.
But, traditionally Nintendo doesn't discount their games. If their games stay at $90 forever, they are going to price out a large portion of their current audience, and the next generation of kids will grow up without Mario, which is going to damage the brand over the long term.
If the games costed $90 at launch, but were half priced in a year or two, it wouldn't be so bad. That's already the strategy for a lot of games that launch at $60 but with season passes and day 1 DLC, then launch a "game of the year edition" including that content at a discount later.
But, traditionally Nintendo doesn't discount their games. If their games stay at $90 forever, they are going to price out a large portion of their current audience, and the next generation of kids will grow up without Mario, which is going to damage the brand over the long term.
This whole pricing thing is so overblown it's crazy. The $80 games are the Switch 1 base game + Switch 2 upgrade prices at ($20) = $80
You can buy Kirby for switch 1 right now for like $40 from almost any outlet. Then buy the upgrade on your switch 2. $60 total. OR if you have a NSO Expansion subscription then upgrade is free.
$450 for the console, $80 for the games, $10 physical surcharge for Europe.
Almost everyone I know is not happy about that pricing. And why would they be, not even the other AAA studios went to $90 pricing for their game releases.
But Nintendo doesn't give a shit.
They've done so many anti-consumer moves in the past. They will keep doing them. And they certainly DGAF about what we think about the price unless it leads to another Wii U situation (why would it? Nintendo clearly marketed it as a new console instead of an add-on).
That may not be true. Nintendo need to recover the losses they anticipate in the US market by increasing the price elsewhere too. Anyway why are you quoting US price?
There is this thing call global best pricing in contracts that Apple makes with supplier. This mean that the supplier can not sell at a lower price to anybody or they have to refund the difference to Apple.
There is this thing call global best pricing in contracts that Apple makes with supplier. This mean that the supplier can not sell at a lower price to anybody or they have to refund the difference to Apple.
It is just an example that there are pressure to pricing that isn't related to variable cost.
Fixed and variable costs are two fundamental categories of expenses that businesses encounter when producing goods or services. Fixed Costs
Fixed costs are expenses that remain constant regardless of the level of production or sales. These costs don’t fluctuate with the amount of goods or services a business produces. They are often associated with the basic infrastructure or overhead needed to keep a business running. Examples include:
Rent or mortgage payments for office space or facilities
Salaries of permanent staff (not tied to production volume)
Insurance premiums
Depreciation of equipment or property
Subscription fees for software or utilities (if consistent)
For instance, if a bakery pays $1,000 a month in rent, that cost stays the same whether they bake 100 loaves of bread or 1,000. Variable Costs
Variable costs, on the other hand, change directly with the level of production or sales. These costs increase as production ramps up and decrease when production slows down. They are typically tied to the actual process of creating goods or services. Examples include:
Raw materials (e.g., flour, sugar, or steel)
Hourly wages for workers paid based on output
Shipping or packaging costs
Utility costs that scale with usage (e.g., electricity for machinery)
Sales commissions
For example, if the bakery uses $2 worth of flour per loaf of bread, the variable cost would be $200 for 100 loaves and $2,000 for 1,000 loaves. Key Differences
Dependence on Output: Fixed costs stay the same regardless of output; variable costs rise or fall with output.
Time Frame: Fixed costs are often long-term commitments (e.g., a yearly lease), while variable costs can shift day-to-day or batch-to-batch.
Impact on Profitability: High fixed costs mean a business needs consistent revenue to break even, while high variable costs make profitability sensitive to production efficiency.
Make less from US, a major market for Switch 2 means fixed cost has to be re-distributed elsewhere.
Nintendo, as a Japanese company heavily reliant on the U.S. market (one of its largest), might decide to absorb some of the tariffs imposed on April 2, 2025, and pass only a fraction onto U.S. consumers while distributing the remaining cost to the rest of the world. This strategic choice could stem from a mix of competitive, economic, and brand considerations. Here’s why:
Protecting U.S. Market Share
The U.S. tariffs include a 24% rate on Japanese goods (effective April 9, 2025), which would apply to Nintendo’s exports like the Nintendo Switch or future consoles. Fully passing this cost to U.S. consumers could raise prices significantly—say, pushing a $300 Switch to $372 before retailer markups. In a price-sensitive gaming market with competitors like Sony (also Japan-based) and Microsoft (U.S.-based, less tariff-impacted), Nintendo risks losing market share if its products become disproportionately expensive. Absorbing part of the tariff (e.g., half, raising the price to $336 instead) keeps U.S. prices competitive, preserving sales volume critical to its bottom line.
Price Elasticity in the U.S.
Demand for gaming consoles in the U.S. is relatively elastic—consumers might delay purchases, switch Penal Colony posts on X suggest American gamers are vocal about price hikes, often opting for cheaper alternatives or second-hand markets if prices spike. Nintendo likely knows this from sales data and market research. Passing on only a fraction of the tariff cost (e.g., a $36 increase instead of $72) softens the blow, avoiding sticker shock that could drive customers to rivals or dampen holiday sales, especially with 2025’s Q2 tariff timing overlapping with post-launch demand for the Switch successor.
Global Profit Distribution
By absorbing some tariff costs in the U.S., Nintendo can offset the hit by raising prices elsewhere—Europe, Japan, Asia, etc.—where demand might be less price-sensitive or where tariffs don’t apply directly. For example, if the U.S. accounts for 40% of Switch sales (a plausible estimate given its market size), Nintendo could spread the remaining tariff burden across the other 60% of global sales. A modest price bump worldwide (e.g., $10-$15 per unit) could cover what’s absorbed in the U.S., leveraging Nintendo’s strong brand loyalty—think Mario, Zelda—where fans are less likely to balk at small increases.
Brand Reputation and Customer Goodwill
Nintendo has cultivated an image of being consumer-friendly, often avoiding aggressive price hikes compared to peers. Fully passing on a 24% tariff could alienate U.S. fans, especially if Sony or Microsoft (with U.S. manufacturing advantages) don’t raise prices as much. Absorbing some cost signals goodwill, potentially boosting long-term loyalty, while a smaller global increase is less likely to spark backlash in markets not facing tariffs directly.
Production and Supply Chain Flexibility
Nintendo’s supply chain, rooted in Asia (e.g., Foxconn in China, hit with a 54% tariff, or Japanese facilities), might limit short-term cost-cutting options like relocating production. With fixed costs (factory leases, equipment) locked in, absorbing tariffs and spreading variable costs (like profit margins) globally becomes viable. Posts on X note companies often eat initial tariff hits to buy time for strategic shifts, and Nintendo’s cash reserves—billions from Switch success—give it cushion to do this.
Competitive Pressure and Game Theory
Nintendo’s decision hinges on competitors’ moves. If Sony absorbs part of its 24% tariff and Microsoft, less affected, holds prices, Nintendo must follow suit to stay in the $300-$400 console sweet spot. Passing less to U.S. consumers and more globally aligns with this game-theory balancing act—minimize U.S. losses, maximize total revenue.
In short, Nintendo might absorb some U.S. tariff costs to stay competitive and maintain goodwill in a key market, offsetting this by modestly raising prices worldwide where its brand strength can absorb the hit. It’s a calculated trade-off: protect volume in the U.S., lean on loyalty elsewhere.
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In summary, don’t assume you’re off the hook just because you’re outside the U.S. Nintendo might absorb some of the April 2, 2025, tariffs to keep U.S. prices palatable, but that cost doesn’t vanish—it gets spread globally. You could still see higher prices wherever you are, as they balance their books by nudging up costs worldwide to offset the U.S. hit. Tariffs ripple, and everyone ends up feeling the squeeze one way or another.
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In fact I expect in the near future perhaps Japanese paying high price for Japanese product will come back and US consumer enjoying the benefit of having the best price in the world will continue as long as US remain the super power of the world.
In normal market conditions, Nintendo doesn't have to compete with the others since they target a different customer base. These aren't normal conditions though, so they'll probably find themselves losing more customers than expected to other portable systems, and/or just seeing a lot more holdouts stick with the original Switch.
Nintendo is working hard to calculate the new price. I think the goal is to make a global equitable multi language price across all countries and continue to perhaps make some country pay more to hedge for currency fluctuation but US for sure will get a good deal. Since the new tariff has probably exceeded expectation this price should be increasing for everyone who wants a multi language model.
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