Switch 2 Exclusive Mario Kart World Justifies Its $80 Price Tag, Nintendo Insists in First Comments Addressing Cost Controversy

Nintendo has insisted Mario Kart World justifies its daze $80 terms tag successful effect to contention implicit the $10 hike for immoderate Switch 2 games.

Last week’s Nintendo Direct revealed the Switch 2 and motorboat rubric Mario Kart World, but it was not until aft the showcase ended that the terms for some products was confirmed.

The Switch 2, retired June 5, presently costs $449.99 — though Trump’s tariffs, which person already delayed pre-orders successful the U.S., whitethorn origin Nintendo to hike the price. The existent shock, though, is that Mario Kart World costs $79.99 — $10 higher than the astir costly Nintendo-published crippled connected Switch, Tears of the Kingdom.

It’s worthy pointing retired that Nintendo is bundling Mario Kart World with a Nintendo Switch 2 for $499.99, cutting the outgo of the crippled by a immense $30 successful the process. However, Nintendo has indicated this bundle is simply a limited-time offer, and it remains to beryllium seen if the bundle holds astatine $500, fixed the uncertainty surrounding the tariff concern and Nintendo’s pre-order hold successful the U.S.

But Mario Kart World isn’t the lone Nintendo Switch 2 crippled to outgo $80 — immoderate of the Switch 2 Edition games announced during the Nintendo Direct besides outgo $79.99, specified arsenic Kirby and The Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World, Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.

These Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games amended upon their archetypal Switch versions successful assorted ways. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, for example, summation further enactment for the Zelda Notes work successful the Nintendo Switch App that provides crippled help. They besides person achievements connected Switch 2.

IGN has plentifulness of absorption to Nintendo’s leap to $80 for the Switch 2 generation, including from analysts who person helped america recognize wherefore this has happened. But what does Nintendo person to accidental astir it? IGN interviewed Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, astatine a caller Switch 2 preview lawsuit successful New York, to inquire astir Nintendo’s pricing strategy for Mario Kart World to find out.

We request to constituent retired present that our interrogation with Trinen was conducted connected April 3, 2025, anterior to Nintendo’s announcement astir delaying Switch 2 pre-orders successful the U.S. owed to the imaginable interaction of tariffs.

In his response, Trinen insisted Mario Kart satellite justifies its terms tag, and pointed to the upcoming dedicated Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct wherever fans volition larn much astir the crippled and what it has to offer.

“I would accidental it's little astir the strategy of pricing Mario Kart World, it's much conscionable whenever we look astatine a fixed game, we conscionable look astatine what is the experience, and what's the content, and what's the value?” Trinen said.

“Mario Kart World, I deliberation particularly arsenic you spot from the Nintendo Direct, not to springiness you immoderate hints oregon anything, but I did work your nonfiction this greeting and I deliberation you had mentioned that you didn’t find a batch to observe erstwhile roaming around. So I would accidental tune into our Mario Kart Direct to spot what, possibly you'll beryllium capable to find retired astir that.

“But honestly, this is simply a crippled that is truthful large and truthful immense and you volition find truthful galore small things successful it to discover. And there's inactive immoderate different secrets remaining that I deliberation arsenic radical extremity up buying and playing the game, they're going to find this to beryllium astir apt the richest Mario Kart acquisition they've ever had.”

We besides asked Trinen astir the $80 outgo of immoderate of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games. While determination is simply a $10 upgrade way for existing owners of these games connected the Switch, and some The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($69.99) and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($79.99) are disposable arsenic portion of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, Nintendo is not offering immoderate benignant of discount to newcomers connected Switch 2.

Trinen’s reply present echoed his Mario Kart World response, pointing to the worth Nintendo sees successful its games.

“Well, again, what I would accidental is that we conscionable look astatine each idiosyncratic crippled and we look astatine the contented and the worth of that game, and past we say, 'what is the close terms for the worth of this entertainment?' " helium said.

“What I would astir apt antagonistic to immoderate of that is that truly what you're looking astatine is for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, that's the carnal terms for idiosyncratic that has not bought the basal game. For idiosyncratic who has bought Tears of the Kingdom oregon Breath of the Wild, the upgrade packs for those are $9.99. And if you hap to beryllium a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, some of the Zelda upgrade packs are inclusive wrong that membership. So there's nary further complaint for those.

“But I deliberation overall, our wide attack is truly conscionable absorption connected what's the content, what's the value, and what's an due terms based connected that.”

What Trinen is saying present is that Nintendo believes its next-generation propulsion is worthy a terms hike erstwhile you see what the video games themselves person to offer. And that’s a constituent echoed by Piers Harding-Rolls, Research Director, Games astatine Ampere Analysis. He told IGN Nintendo has signifier erstwhile it comes to going precocious for the outgo of its games.

"Nintendo has a spot of a past of pricing games higher than different platforms erstwhile coming to the marketplace aboriginal than different platforms - successful this lawsuit PS5 and Xbox Series,” helium said.

“I retrieve backmost successful the time N64 titles being much than PS1 titles for example. Some of that is related to outgo of goods, but Nintendo besides likes to travel its ain attack and terms based connected its ain appreciation of value."

As for the existent $450 terms tag of the Switch 2 itself, Trinen again pointed to value, but besides highlighted the expanding costs associated with releasing a video crippled console.

“Obviously the outgo of everything goes up implicit time, and I personally would emotion if the outgo of things didn't spell up implicit time,” helium told IGN.

“But I deliberation immoderate clip you're gathering a caller strategy that's got caller features and caller tech, there's costs associated with that. So again, we look astatine what is the acquisition connected Nintendo Switch? What's the acquisition connected Nintendo Switch 2? What are the caller features that it offers? And surely there's the outgo of goods and things that origin into that, but we effort to find the close due terms for a merchandise based connected that.”

As IGN has reported, immoderate Nintendo fans person expressed interest that they whitethorn beryllium priced retired of the next-generation if the institution goes adjacent higher than the already arguable prices for the Switch 2 and its games specified arsenic Mario Kart World owed to the tariff situation.

What is progressively clear, however, is that contempt calls from the assemblage for Nintendo to driblet the price, the Switch 2 and its games are overmuch much apt to get adjacent much costly than cheaper successful the United States.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].