Nintendo is like Disney – Protecting the Brand

There is always tons of discussion around Nintendo Switch game pricing. Not the initial price, which falls in line with other major publishers, but rather the price of a game two…three…may be even four years down the line. Want Breath of the Wild, a Nintendo Switch Launch title? Be ready to pay almost full price if you are getting via the eShop or at retail.

Nintendo is notorious for limiting sales on their all their franchises, whether they are a long running series of games like The Legend of Zelda or Super Smash Bros, or a brand new title like Arms. When sales do come along, it sends Nintendo fans into a frenzy, attempting to nab $10 – and sometimes $20 if you are luck – off the retail price. This isn’t the norm in the industry either, as other companies quickly discount their games. Ubisoft might be the most predictable, with new titles being half the cost within 4-6 months, and a 6th of the cost (on sale) after a year. Sony has also quickly discounted some of their biggest titles. A few weeks ago at Best Buy Canada, you could nab Spider-man and God of War for the low (and frankly hot) price of $9.99.

While many have debated why Nintendo keeps their prices high, I think there are a few reasons why that make the most sense. Ultimately, Nintendo systems and games are always in demand, regardless of the year or how far past launch a game might be. It’s why you still regularly see Nintendo Wii U games being sold  for $40.00 or more, and that is for a used copy! If you want to play Zelda, Mario, or a multitude of other franchises, Nintendo has you by the throat. It’s the only place to play them!

You could argue, however, that Sony and Microsoft also have a monopoly on certain franchises. Want to play Halo? You’ll need an Xbox One / Series X or a PC. Want to play God of War? You’ll need a PS4 / PS5 if you want to indulge in that. As a Nintendo fan at heart, it’s probably unfair of me to say that Nintendo games are still wildly unique, and there are so many of them. They bring hefty doses of nostalgia to longtime fans, and their game play loops, lore, and more just aren’t matched by other, console exclusive franchises. While God of War has had a long, fantastic run with Sony, walk the streets and ask random folks – they’ll know about Mario and Zelda more often then they will God of War.

Even if the above is somewhat true, there is one other thing that trumps everything else. The popularity of the Nintendo brand, and not cheapening that brand.

Nintendo is like Disney. They release a product, and you can expect that product to be the price it is for a long time. It’s protecting the brand, not making it cheap and meaningless. It might be a elitest attitude, but it’s one the company has earned. Nintendo wants their games in the hands of fans early. If people know the game will be discounted within a few months of release, they might hold off. Nintendo consoles have lived and died on first party titles – they need sales at full price, and since fans never expect much of a discount, it’s been ingrained in our minds to just suck it up, and pay that full proce.