A guest plays Mariokart World of the new Nintendo Switch 2 video-game console system of Japanese video-game company Nintendo during the worldwide presentation at the Grand Palais in Paris.
DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images
DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images
The successor to the Nintendo Switch is (almost) here. But it’s arrived at an awkward time for both Nintendo and gamers alike. We dig into the latest for this edition of our series, “Game Mode”
The Switch 2 was initially announced in January, but fans learned much more about it during a Nintendo Direct livestream a few weeks ago. It included information about the system’s launch date (June 5), its hardware specs, the games Nintendo fans could expect to play at release, and, perhaps most importantly, prices for both the Switch 2 and its games.
That last part has put a damper on some of the enthusiasm for the system’s launch. It will retail for $449.99. Its predecessor, the Nintendo Switch, started its lifecycle in 2017 priced at $299.99 (adjusted for inflation, that’s about $387). The price of Nintendo’s games is also climbing, up from their traditional $60 to $70, which is in line with the industry standard.
Nintendo is citing a rise in the cost of the console’s production as well as economic uncertainties like President Donald Trump’s tariffs as reasons for the price hikes.
So, what can Nintendo fans expect from the Switch 2? And what can we learn about the future of the gaming industry amid questions about the state of the global economy?
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