Nintendo Defends Mario Kart World's $80 Price Tag
Nintendo has just rolled out the Nintendo Switch 2. With it came the eagerly awaited "Mario Kart World," a fresh open-world addition to the iconic racing series. The initial thrill quickly turned to sticker shock. The game is going to cost $80. Gamers were quick in denouncing Nintendo for its alleged greed. Nintendo is firing back, arguing their price decision.
"It's About the Value," Says Nintendo VP
Bill Trinen, Vice President of Product and User Experience at Nintendo of America, discussed the controversy in an interview with IGN. He thinks that the $80 price tag is not arbitrary. Instead, it's the product of a careful evaluation of the content of the game and the experience it offers.
"I would say the objective is not so much in some kind of special pricing strategy for Mario Kart World, but in how we think about each individual game: what kind of experience does it provide, what kind of content is it and what kind of value does it provide?"
Trinen seems to be suggesting that "Mario Kart World" is not just another Mario Kart game. He hinted at the sheer volume of content packed into this new game. He indicated that it's a much bigger and feature-rich experience compared to earlier games. He even playfully challenged an IGN writer who seemed to have thought the game world was underwhelming after a first look, to watch the "Mario Kart Direct" for a better understanding of its depth.
"Seriously, this is a massive game where you can find lots of different little things. And it has tons of secrets. It seems to me that people will purchase it and find that this is the most populated Mario Kart they ever made," Trinen stated.
Individual Pricing, Not a Set Plan
Trinen pointed out that Nintendo does not follow a generic pricing strategy. They consider every game individually depending on the volume of content and the value that they believe it provides to consumers. This special strategy, he explained, is why different Zelda games on the Switch 2 are priced differently.
For example, "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" will also cost $80 (with a $10 upgrade for owners of the existing Switch version). However, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" will cost slightly less at $70. This difference, Nintendo says, is because of the perceived value and content of each individual game.
Switch 2 Price and Avoid Past Mistakes
The Nintendo Switch 2 itself retails for $450 for the console alone, and $500 in a bundle with "Mario Kart World." Trinen stated that these are prices set based on the rising cost of technology and production. Nintendo, he stressed, is not attempting to operate at a loss, something learned from the Wii U era.
Release and Pre-order Update
Nintendo Switch 2 is now set to come out on June 5th. Although pre-orders were originally set to become available on April 9th, there have been changes made due to newly implemented US tariffs. This would suggest supply chain or cost adjustments are being undertaken.
Is $80 Worth It?
Nintendo is obviously making the case that "Mario Kart World" is an upscale experience and deserves an upscale price. Whether or not the gamers will agree remains to be seen. Will the content and "saturation" Trinen promises prevail with gamers as an acceptable $80, or will the backlash continue? Only time and gamer opinion after release will tell.
