The Nintendo Switch 2 debuted in June to become the fastest-selling hardware ever in the U.S., shooting spending on games to new monthly records, according to the monthly report from Circana.
What the launch sales of Switch 2 primarily tell us is that they made a lot of Switch 2 to sell at launch. Lifetime sales and launch sales of a console often do not correlate, meaning that some consoles with small launches ended up doing incredibly well lifetime (PS2 only sold 400k in its launch month) while others with big launches ended up not doing as well lifetime. Since launch month demand is rarely satiated by available supply (and it is certainly not a great sign when it is, historically) all we can really get a read on at launch is the confidence of the manufacturer to make so many units available, and the ability of the supply chain to get those units into the market.
This is still very positive news for the long term viability of the Switch 2 because having a solid install base means third parties have more incentive to port games to the system.
This is still very positive news for the long term viability of the Switch 2 because having a solid install base means third parties have more incentive to port games to the system.
If multiplatform games continue to be more expensive on Switch2 than on other systems, they’ll probably not sell that well anyway. People usually buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games. 3rd parties need to earn their place.
That’s a problem with most ports. It’s a “new” game on Switch
There is no mandate by Nintendo that ports must cost 70 Euro, the 3rd parties simply follow the example set by Nintendo. They could sell it for 50 but chose not to.
People who have more than one gaming system have little reason to buy Switch versions of their games. Of the announced Switch 2 games, I already have MK World and looking forward to Metroid Prime 4. Everything else I’m looking forward to, I rather play on Steam Deck where deals are much better and I get stuff like cloud saves for free.
No console competes with steam on pricing. I feel console vs PC is a different discussion then one console vs another. Of course both are gaming machine, and Steam Deck is closing the gap, but still, it’s an open system vs a closed one.
You should try Donkey Kong Bananza, I am having a blast playing it, it’s really fun. Of course, don’t know what your games tastes are so can’t say if you will like it or not, but it’s worth taking a look at.
And you don’t have to buy all games on Switch, I don’t buy all games on Switch either, some games feel better on PS5, so I get them there, some I enjoy more on Switch so get it here. Play where you enjoy!
Most third party games get similar prices on Switch, and their lowest ever prices are also similar. There are exceptions which go both way. I have seen games where the sale price was lower on Switch, and where it was lower on other consoles.
This is within consoles though, if you compare with Steam, no console competes with that.
For digital indie games sold on the e-shop it often tends to be the other way around. During sales the price is knocked down more on Switch than on Playstation and Xbox.
Were multiplatform games more expensive on Switch? I don’t pay too much attention to prices, but whenever I glance at the Nintendo store something or other is on sale.
Now first party Nintendo games rarely go on sale since they sell well as it is.
Anything that launched multiplat was always the same price across platforms. But some cases of old titles getting ported to Switch meant they were full price on Switch but cheaper on platforms they’ve been out for a long time on.
The important quote from the article
This is still very positive news for the long term viability of the Switch 2 because having a solid install base means third parties have more incentive to port games to the system.
If multiplatform games continue to be more expensive on Switch2 than on other systems, they’ll probably not sell that well anyway. People usually buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games. 3rd parties need to earn their place.
Example Cyberpunk:
That’s a problem with most ports. It’s a “new” game on Switch, and many years old game on other platforms.
Proper comparison will be for the games that are released together on Switch and other consoles.
There is no mandate by Nintendo that ports must cost 70 Euro, the 3rd parties simply follow the example set by Nintendo. They could sell it for 50 but chose not to.
People who have more than one gaming system have little reason to buy Switch versions of their games. Of the announced Switch 2 games, I already have MK World and looking forward to Metroid Prime 4. Everything else I’m looking forward to, I rather play on Steam Deck where deals are much better and I get stuff like cloud saves for free.
No console competes with steam on pricing. I feel console vs PC is a different discussion then one console vs another. Of course both are gaming machine, and Steam Deck is closing the gap, but still, it’s an open system vs a closed one.
You should try Donkey Kong Bananza, I am having a blast playing it, it’s really fun. Of course, don’t know what your games tastes are so can’t say if you will like it or not, but it’s worth taking a look at.
And you don’t have to buy all games on Switch, I don’t buy all games on Switch either, some games feel better on PS5, so I get them there, some I enjoy more on Switch so get it here. Play where you enjoy!
Everything is more expensive on switch
And very rare are good sales
Most third party games get similar prices on Switch, and their lowest ever prices are also similar. There are exceptions which go both way. I have seen games where the sale price was lower on Switch, and where it was lower on other consoles.
This is within consoles though, if you compare with Steam, no console competes with that.
For digital indie games sold on the e-shop it often tends to be the other way around. During sales the price is knocked down more on Switch than on Playstation and Xbox.
Oh yeah sure
I was talking about this:
Were multiplatform games more expensive on Switch? I don’t pay too much attention to prices, but whenever I glance at the Nintendo store something or other is on sale.
Now first party Nintendo games rarely go on sale since they sell well as it is.
Anything that launched multiplat was always the same price across platforms. But some cases of old titles getting ported to Switch meant they were full price on Switch but cheaper on platforms they’ve been out for a long time on.
Yeah, the first is always supply constrained, not demand constrained. We will see how it goes in year 2 and 3.