After the Nintendo Direct today on the full details of the Switch 2, I’m left with the feeling that for Nintendo, less change is better. The Switch 2 almost feels like a Switch Pro, bigger screen, better internals, but not a ton inherently different. That isn’t to say that it’s a cash grab, they’ve tried to justify it being a new entry by adding specific hardware features that don’t exist on the original Switch, like the controllers being able to act as a mouse and camera support.

With the current landscape in video games, I’m sure Nintendo feels vindicated. The Steam Deck was a massive hit, and there are now many imitators on the market. Sony released the Playstation Portal, a quasi handheld, that still needs a PS5 (with some games supported via the cloud). Then Microsoft has been stating for a while that they want a handheld of their own. This is all to say that gamers want to be able to play wherever and not be tied to a TV or a PC. I feel like the Switch started this trend, and now Nintendo gets to say they were right and enjoy the spoils.

If the original Switch could stay the course graphically, maybe they wouldn’t have had to make the Switch 2, but even first-party titles started to struggle on the hardware. It does feel like since Nintendo knows they have a winner, they can afford to do two things. One, they can afford to not totally reinvent the wheel and just make a better Switch with a few bells and whistles added on. Two, I feel like they’re more willing to lean into their brand being considered premium more than before. What I mean by this is cost in a few areas. The Switch 2 will cost $449.99,  and yes, that could be because of inflation or tariffs or just the hardware itself is more expensive. But for $399, you can get the cheapest Steam Deck, and you might already have a library of games you can play on it. I feel like Nintendo knows people are going to buy it no matter what, so they can charge a premium.

The other is the cost of Mario Kart World, which is going to cost a very surprising $80. I have a hard time, personally, seeing how a racing game can cost that much. Again, I feel like Nintendo knows everyone is going to want Mario Kart because its…Mario Kart, so they can charge a premium because it’s the Nintendo brand. Now,  this isn’t new as there’s always been the notion that first-party Nintendo games just don’t go on sale that often. That’s because Nintendo knows they don’t have to give their games a discount to make them sell. It just seems like Nintendo is more willing to squeeze a bit harder because they know they have a captive audience.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be getting the Switch 2, and Nintendo does still put out games that make them one of the most beloved companies in the video game space.  I’ve been a fan of their hardware and software for years, but I still think it’s fair to critique it. It’s frustrating how Nintendo vaults all their older games, and we need to wait for them to remaster them to play them again. I’d love a chance to just buy the originals, and this issue isn’t unique to Nintendo as games preservation is an issue across the board. It does feel a little nice that now we’ll be able to play some GameCube games on the Switch 2, but it’s hard that it’s behind a subscription service. I think the core issue for me is just that the cost of wanting to continue to play games and be a fan is always getting higher. I think of PC fans who don’t know what to do about the higher video card prices as an example. Games are also just getting more and more expensive to make as the required scope grows for what a game should be. Every developer, studio, and publisher is going to play around with prices to see what that ceiling is to see what fans are willing to pay. It’s just hard to ignore the feeling that at some point, you might be priced out of your hobby. Nintendo earned their victory lap with the Switch 2 they knew handelds would be the future and of course they should capitalize on that. I just wish the pill was a little easier to swallow.