Why Do Nintendo Switch Games Cost More?
Since the recent release of a few AAA games on Nintendo Switch, I wondered why their games cost more? I found several good reasons and a few bad ones.
Nintendo has a lot of control over which games and the quantity of games that get developed. This let’s them maintain a higher quality of games in general. But it also makes their games cost more.
A license to develop Nintendo games is expensive, compared to other game development software such as Unity or Unreal Engine. Plus Nintendo sets the bar pretty high for what gets approved. Games like yet another asteroid clone aren’t going to be churned out on a Switch.
Developers have to spend additional time and money developing good games. These extra costs are reflected in the final price. Whether Nintendo’s extra charges and standards are justified is a matter of opinion. Yet, these are the main reasons for the higher prices.
Switch Games
While I don’t like paying $60 for new games. I can at least understand why titles such as Super Mario Bros Wonder and Sonic Superstars cost more. They are filled with content, cut scenes, bonus levels, and are fun to play.
Mario Strikers is an example of an expensive game that didn’t live up to the price in my opinion. I enjoyed the game but there wasn’t much content, just 6 cup battles. The cut scenes, graphics, sights, and sounds were great. Still, for the price I expected a lot more content.
Additional Considerations
The lack of additional in game costs is a minor reason for the higher prices. Once you pay for the game, you don’t have to pay more to finish the game. There always seems to be bonus packs or additional cosmetic features to purchase for any game. But for Super Mario Bros Wonder or Sonic Superstars, the initial price is all that’s necessary to finish the game.
Alternative Games
If you’re looking for fun games that don’t cost $60, give some of these a try:
Summary
In summary, could Nintendo charge less and still make money? Of course. Will they charge less? I doubt it. They spend a lot of money on research, marketing, and development. They know what the market can bear and price their games accordingly.
FAQ
Why Nintendo Switch Games Cost More brought to you by David M.
I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.
