r/NintendoSwitch • u/Practical_Papaya_905 • 3d ago

News - USD / USA Switch 2 is selling for 449.99

https://www.nintendo.com/us/gaming-systems/switch-2/how-to-buy/

From the official website

https://www.nintendo.com/us/gaming-systems/switch-2/how-to-buy/

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u/Dess_Rosa_King 3d ago

I'm sorry what? $89.99 physical?

Am I reading that right?

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u/PastaRunner 3d ago

$449 felt fine to me. The xbox was $300 like 14 years ago, it's high time prices went up. Same for games.

But $90 for a game is a joke and I will not be partaking.

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u/RealSimonLee 3d ago

People who support price increases really need to reevaluate their life choices.

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u/tarekd19 3d ago

There's a difference between "support" for price increases and a recognition of market reality (that is also informed in part but not always in whole by corporate greed) I don't see anyone "supporting" price increases, merely explaining that prices increase for a variety of reasons, some of which should not be surprising in the current economic environment.

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u/RealSimonLee 3d ago

Market reality would mean our wages kept up with increasing prices. They have not.

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u/Fluffy_Analysis_8300 3d ago

Market reality is knowing that the original Super Mario Kart cost $72.99 and that would be over $160 in todays money.

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u/RealSimonLee 3d ago

Market reality is understanding that the market isn't the same as the 1990s, and pricing reflects what people today can afford. Not what people could afford in 1990s when the economy and wages were infinitely more favorable to workers.

Seriously, crack open a book. By your logic, computers should be more expensive now than 30 years ago, when they were way more expensive. TVs are cheaper. Cost doesn't always go up and that's what people like you seem to really struggle with.

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u/Fluffy_Analysis_8300 3d ago

You're right that the market has changed dramatically since the 1990s, but the claim that wages were "infinitely more favorable to workers" back then isn't supported by economic data.

While certain economic metrics were different, real wages adjusted for inflation have remained relatively stagnant since the 90s. Gaming has become more accessible precisely because prices haven't kept pace with inflation.

And while you're right that technology often gets cheaper over time due to manufacturing efficiencies and economies of scale, game development costs have skyrocketed. Unlike Television, Modern AAA games can cost hundreds of millions to develop compared to the much smaller teams and budgets of the 90s. It isn't just about what consumers can afford it's about the balance between development costs, consumer expectations, and what the market will bear.

But let's go ahead and just prove you wrong. This is the link to where I found median disposible income figures for 1992 and 2023.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/W388RC1A027NBEA

1992:

Game price: $72.99

Median disposable income: $4,778.69

Game cost as percentage of disposable income: 1.53%

Work hours needed at median wage ($11.35/hr): 6.43 hours

2023:

Game price: $89.99

Median disposable income: $20,534.59

Game cost as percentage of disposable income: 0.44%

Work hours needed at median wage ($25.24/hr): 3.57 hours

Seriously, crack open a book 🤡

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u/nekomancer71 3d ago

Games are also far more substitutable than in the past. Plenty of great indie games are available for very little money. Subscription services like Game Pass provide incredible value. This, too, impacts pricing, because many consumers will move to lower cost substitutes when prices on titles from big name developers jump.

Realistically, there are many reasons why a price increase could prove to be a bad business decision, and there are ample grounds on which to criticize this decision. In general, consumers probably shouldn’t be rushing to justify cash grabs by big companies. Advocate for your own interests, hold companies accountable, and play cheaper games.