Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has formally apologized to shareholders after confirming the price increase for the Switch 2 console. Starting in September, the device will rise by $50 in several regions, reaching $500 in the United States. Additionally, Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions will also become more expensive in Japan and South Korea. To calm tensions, Furukawa promised a stronger lineup of games to justify the new cost.
Hardware gets more expensive while the catalog seeks to justify the price 🎮
The $50 increase places the Switch 2 at a critical point in the current market. With a base price of $500, the console directly competes with the base models of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Furukawa acknowledged that the increase is due to global inflation and rising component costs. To balance the scales, Nintendo plans to release its own titles more frequently over the coming months. The strategy aims to make users perceive added value that compensates for the extra expense.
Furukawa apologizes and sells us the same thing, but with more zeros 💸
Furukawa's apology sounds sincere, though the user's wallet doesn't understand good intentions. Raising the price by $50 and promising better games is like apologizing for the rain and giving away a holey umbrella. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers in Japan and South Korea are already seeing their monthly bill grow without anyone asking them. Nintendo knows its fans pay, and boy, do they pay.