OPINION PIECE: SADLY, NINTENDO CANNOT 'DROP THE PRICES'

I joined the Nintendo Treehouse presentation on 03/04 excited for some more updates regarding some indie titles (and yes, hopefully Silksong), and yet I left feeling somewhat perturbed by what felt more like a Treehouse of Horror due to the chatters during the presentation, and endless barrage of words all asking, demanding the same thing.

‘DROP. THE. PRICES’

It's no secret that many of those, myself included, were not pleased with the reveal of the £80 price tag for MarioKart World, and perhaps even the prices of the Switch 2 itself. My own reaction however was more on the former, and it was a sharp, straight up sitting position and a quite surprised ‘wow, they went for it'. It was not Nintendo I had in mind when I thought of who in the ‘big three’ would be the first to mark up their exclusives. The outcry from fans however, that I did expect l, however I can't say that I agree as much.

Let me state first that I am both disappointed and, to be frank, annoyed that the industry is heading towards quite the price hike. I have been through four console generations now, and the increase in each always burnt an unjust hole in my parents, and now my own wallet. There are many who will be unjustly cast out from enjoying new experiences simply due to not having the funds required to enjoy them, and that is something which, as someone who writes about this industry, and has seen and myself struggled financially, makes my heart truly ache.

However, I am also privy to the fact that this is how things go. Our industry is ever changing and evolving. The jump from standard definition to HD gaming took around nine years, around four from the PS4 to the PS4 Pro, and from there another four till HDR and 4K gaming on home consoles. Those jumps are extraordinary, but sadly, take manpower, and research time, and funds. I remember my father paying £40 to get me Red Dead Redemption, and then later in the decade, I myself paid £60 for it's sequel.

This year however, we were looking at the biggest jump in gaming prices of all time, with the release of GTA VI and it's clear that the industry has been waiting in anticipation for this. As such for me there was suprise in Nintendo taking the first big swing, and moreso before the release or price announcement for GTA VI, but that's where the surprises end. Sadly, this is the way the industry will be going. Bigger games, bigger studios, further advancements in technology, graphic fidelity, and so forth. £80 MarioKart is the first in an upcoming long list of video games which will now face similar prices. And sadly there's the more grown-up side. The economy. Tarrifs. With how things are going, the entire industry from accessories to consoles will face similar hikes in price, and there is not much the consumer can do to stop it.

Or perhaps I am being too doom and gloom about this. What do you think? Leave a comment and I'll be sure to respond!