I’m bracing for $399.99 for the Switch 2 and $459.99 for the Mario Kart 9 pack-in.

I’m thinking the games might be at the $79.99 price point with the extra joycons being $99.99 this time around.

I've read $400. We'll see.

$79.99 or $69.99?
Jumping to $79.99 would be absolutely bonkers.

For some reason, I’m thinking the console will be cheap and they’ll get us with the games.

Some Switch 1 games are already at the $69.99 price point.

With such a huge Switch 1 game library, I can see them upping the cost of the Switch 2 games to separate the two.

I hope I’m wrong.

I can’t see Nintendo being the ones to do that (usher in an $80 games era). That’s some shit Sony would do, I think we are safe for now.

Since disc based media became standard, both MS & Sony have pushed the SRP of games at various points. MS took lead making $60 the norm (after a decade of $50 games). Then both advocated for $70 coming into this gen. Nintendo kinda does their own thing, so I don't see them pushing it either.

The only reason for me to buy a new Nintendo system is a new Zelda game, which considering how recently Tears of the Kingdom came out seems to be a bit down the road. Amazon just canceled my 6 year-old Metroid Prime 4 pre-order for the Switch, presumably so it can now be vaporware for the Switch 2.

My Best Buy preorder from the GCU days is still open, but if they have a Switch 2 SKU, I guess I’ll cancel and reorder.

I got mine in 2020 and spent $184 on 23 Picross games/DLCs. 9 of those average 10 hours each and 14 took at least 30 hours each, for a total of 510 hours. Currently working on the last couple ones. If I buy it JUST for Picross it will be worth it.

Why on God's Green Earth would you need upgrade to a Switch 2 for Picross?

Because Jupiter (the main Nintendo Picross publisher) and others will start putting out Picross games only for the S2.

Based on what information?
Plenty of non-graphics-intensive games still are being released for PS4 as well as PS5.

Based on every time a new Nintendo system comes out there's picross games specifically for them. The older ones come out in the newer ones but the newer ones don't come out on the older ones. You can't play any of the like 15 Jupiter Picross games for the Switch on the 3DS. Jupiter's been around since the OG Gameboy (Mario's Picross).

A lot of interesting questions.

• I think $450 would be crazy. But with upcoming tariffs and all it could be possible. Which is interesting because previous rumors were that Nintendo was holding on to the Switch 2's release because of the weak yen.
• $99 would be especially crazy for Joy Con. Especially since the originals I'm sure had a much higher manufacturing cost considering how much smaller they were and how much tech was built in to them. I'm sure all of that would have become much more efficient now. Then again increasing raw materials and labor cost could point to a higher price.
• I think the blending of console generations is fascinating. How there are so few actually new PS5 games with many games blending generations. Will this also happen with the Switch 2? Will they really release a Picross exclusive to the Switch 2 when there's an enormous install base for the Switch and seemingly no reason to just release for the Switch 2? New MK, new Zelda, Mario game absolutely those will be Switch 2 going forward. But will Nintendo allow both generations to exist at the same time or will they encourage publishers to only publish for the Switch 2. Especially when it comes to the eShop.
• I really wonder about the success of the Switch 2 compared to the WiiU. Most hung the failure of the WiiU on the confusion between the Wii and the WiiU. But now we have a new console that's even more derivative of the previous one. I don't think marketing is an issue since it's clearly a successor. But will it be as successful as the Switch? Nintendo fans will definitely want to upgrade but the Switch seemed to capture that nongaming audience like the Wii did and I'm really wondering if it can convince the same audience to upgrade, let alone find a new audience. IMO one of the major reasons behind the Switch's success was the incredible release schedule of Switch games. There was a constant and steady stream of incredible Switch games throughout it's really long life. However, a lot of that was propped up by rereleases and remakes and they relied heavily on the failure of the WiiU and rereleasing it's relatively unplayed games to a new audience to prop up that release schedule. They won't have that this time. Can they really keep up with development to maintain that same release schedule?

No, but that’s okay. Nintendo will still make money hand over fist. Sony seems to be doing alright despite their best-selling console being several generations in the rear view mirror.

Right? Like I don't see any way that this is as successful as the Switch. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't see anyone buying a Switch 2 that doesn't already have a Switch. Which like you said is perfectly fine and I'm sure Nintendo would be thrilled to have another successful console generation. It's just strange to me that there doesn't seem to be much innovation in console gaming anymore. Like it's all coalesced to what it is now with small bumps in improvement. Have we reached the peak in terms of console gaming?

I think it’s three-fold:

1) The audience for dedicated gaming devices isn’t growing. (It peaked in 2008, actually.) Adjusted for inflation, hardware spending has had a hard ceiling for the past decade. And the console audience is growing older, with younger generations of gamers more likely to opt for PC, tablets, etc.

2) A significant percentage of gamers (especially younger ones) don’t care about new consoles. Their time is spent on Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, Fall Guys, GTA, etc., which already run on devices they own, and those devices may not even be consoles. That handful of forever games is sucking up all the oxygen in the room.

3) AAA games are so expensive to produce now that for third-parties, anyway, targeting a single platform isn’t viable. So if Nintendo did have some sort of very compelling and very unique hook, either third-parties wouldn’t take advantage, or it wouldn’t be core to gameplay.

I’m not sure what a revolutionary feature for consoles would be beyond what’s happened already, and if there were one (that fundamentally impacted gameplay), it’d be difficult to find support outside of platform holders and indies unless everyone adopted it. For instance, Joy-Cons offer unique gameplay mechanics, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I played a Switch game — on my own console, anyway — where I didn’t use a Pro Controller. (ARMS at launch, maybe? I’m excluding party games with my nephews on their Switch. )

All excellent points. Which is why at this stage of gaming the Switch 2 makes complete sense. But it's still a bit strange to not see something different out of Nintendo. It is completely the right move and I'm glad they're doing it. Just a bit strange. I also think Nintendo has the brightest outlook in terms of long term future prospect. Their exclusive IP is second to none. And they've managed to keep development costs way down. Yeah their games aren't technical powerhouses but they still look great and they've done a great job spending their development money where they get the best bang for their buck. Like art direction and animation vs. resolution and frame rate. So while AAA development costs have skyrocketed to unsustainable levels Nintendo has kept it reasonable to still stay profitable. Besides we're at a point of diminishing returns. Most people don't play games at 4K 120hz and most people can't tell the difference anyways so why chase numbers?

I can see a more powerful switch that can better handle things like GTA, Madden or even COD without being bleeding edge could have a lot of appeal. I also think innovation will still be there BUT if you think about a lot of the innovation in the console area for Nintendo a lot of them just devolve into gimmicks that work with a handful of games… the proof is in the software. Dual screens, motion controls, stylus, most of the features of the joycons, those cardboard things, the exercise wheel, even amiibos… how many of them were deciding factors in your enjoyment of the current switch?

I liked Switch Sports so motion controls are still solid in my book. And I loved the dual screens on the DS.

It's true it's only really useful in a handful of games, but a single game or two can help make a system for me.

That's because you're thinking of the Switch as a console (where they tried to innovate with every release).However, the Switch is a handheld that you can play on your TV. It was a mobile WiiU. Once you view it through that lens, it's easy to see why they didn't bring something new to the table. The evolution of the Gameboy -> GBA -> DS -> 3DS - Switch was largely minimal outside of graphical upgrades and natural evolution to color screens. Sure they had gimmick dual screens (glorified map screen) and gimmick 3D which were nothing but a passing fad.

The WiiU was Nintendo's last console.

I was working in video game retail when the Nintendo DS was released, and at the time, going dual screens was a drastic change. So drastic, that the Nintendo rep stressed that the DS was not a "replacement" for the GBA, but an alternate console. I think Nintendo was hedging their bets on whether the DS would flop. Of course, it turned out that the DS was functionally the replacement for the GBA, but there could've been an outcome where the DS line was a one-off and Nintendo kept with the Game Boy line.

Similarly, the 3DS seems like a gimmick now, but at the time it was thought as something innovative. It was less of a risk, since the 3D wasn't critical to any gameplay, but it was at least Nintendo doing something different, adding a new feature, etc.

The Switch 2 may seem disappointing since it's the first time in a while, especially on the home console side, where for Nintendo it's basically "the same, but better." . They did have that with the New Nintendo 3DS, but that was only 3 years after the 3DS, and was more limited. I think after 8 years of the Switch, some people may have hoped Nintendo was ready to try one of their crazy experiments again.

3rd Party developers probably made it clear that they don't want to spend effort to add new Switch-2 gimmicks to their multi-platform releases.

Hadn’t thought about it that way, but barring some big surprise, this does seem like it’ll be the least change between generations ever for Nintendo.

I guess all of the rumors of this originally being released as the Switch Pro makes sense. I wonder if this system will have a short shelf life, and a true successor will come out in a couple years. Remember the "New 3DS"?