“You Want That Content So Bad,” Former PlayStation Boss Says Of Switch 2 Exclusive Titles

One of the biggest talking points surrounding the Switch 2 since its official announcement has been focused on the price of the console and its games–some believe the prices are simply too much.

In an interview with PlayerDriven, former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden said Nintendo can charge what it wants for new first-party Switch 2 games because Nintendo makes compelling games. Some people might perceive the price increase for a game like Mario Kart World ($80) as being “hefty,” Layden said, but in the end, people will buy it anyway.

“If it’s the only place where you can play Mario, then you get your wallet out and you buy into it… and Donkey Kong and Zelda. That first-party exclusivity kind of mitigates the sticker shock, if you will, of these price hikes, because you want that content so bad,” he said (via IGN).

Layden, who worked at Sony for decades on the PlayStation team before leaving in 2019, went on to say that video game prices have actually gone down, generally, over the years.

“In 2025 dollars, $59.99 in 1999 is equivalent to $100. Your purchasing power compared to your cost of living, it’s much smaller now than it was before, but still companies have been reluctant to push that price up,” he said, adding that he thinks publishers should have charged $5 more for new games each new console generation.

Meanwhile, actor and video game developer Abubakar Salim told Insider Gaming that inclusivity is an important consideration to remember in a conversation about general socioeconomic issues. Salim questioned why Nintendo is charging more for the Switch 2 console and games.

“We’re in a very tough time at the moment, so why make it harder and have that bar eventually so high? Yeah, I was a bit upset about the price changes, because Nintendo is a family game, Nintendo is a family genre. It’s a family platform,” Salim said.

For Mario Kart World, Nintendo defended the $80 price point by saying the game is a worthy upgrade over Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and people will understand this after the April 17 Nintendo Direct. Meanwhile, others have said Nintendo chose to price Mario Kart World at $80 simply because it can.

At $450, the Switch 2 is about $50 more than the original Switch with inflation factored in. Nintendo management says the price hike is justified because the Switch 2 is a better, more robust console. Experts believe Nintendo will lose money on every Switch 2 it sells, which is common for console hardware.