The Switch has needed a Selects line since forever ago. Pretty soon, games like Splatoon 2 will be $60 while Splatoon 3 is out, also for $60. Same with BOTW / BOTW2, etc. Then there’s games like ARMS, Mario Tennis, etc, games that had an online focus with a small amount of content that have had their run, have sold 90% of what they will ever sell.. still $60. And of course ports like Tropical Freeze that are still $60, when it *launched* at $50 on Wii U and then was permanently reduced to $20… still $60. All of these are only a handful of examples of the Nintendo-published games on Switch that are crying for a price reduction… Nintendo under Furukawa is greedy as hell.
Somewhat disagree with the last part. It's true that Nintendo under Iwata did the Selects line and all that but it's also important to note that they almost never did sales before it. Sure, the sales they do now are around 33% max which is embarassing but it's also a good first step. The next one should be implementing the selects line again and hopefully, eventually, they start doing bigger sales before cutting the price.
It is indeed weird that Splatoon 2 and 3 are going to be the same price, but it's normal for Singleplayer games like botw and botw2, since they will (hopefully) be a completely new game
@@pokemigas6049 People mistakenly believe that Nintendo suddenly became the bad guy as soon as Furukawa and Bowser took their first step into their HQ.
Just gotta say, there's not many channels where I could listen to 3 people talk about the possibility of Player's Select games for over half an hour...lol, but I could damn well listen to you guys talk about it all day. Just something about your discussions that are so insightful and relaxing. And Felix, you are an awesome addition to this channel!
Well everyone has their own preference. I'm around the same age as Zion and Alex, so I can definitely relate to what they talk about more, especially in retro gaming. But I think Felix is a good addition that provides context for the younger gamers, and offers a different perspective. But yea, just my opinion.
If there's one thing I've learned over my lifetime, it's that Nintendo's prices on their main franchises (Zelda, Mario, etc.) NEVER go below ~70% of their original retail price. No matter how old. They take them off the shelves completely before the price gets any lower.
That's not always the case, I remember NSMBU on the Wii U dropped in value like a rock even well before NSMBU Switch port got announced. Also Zelda Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword on the Wii if I recall correctly dropped in price quite a bit.
Adjusted for inflation $40 in 2024 is pretty cheap compared to the $50 nes games were in 1990. I think nintendo wants full price of games to be $80 and the discount price to be $40.
My theory is that the next console will be fully backwards compatible, Nintendo will introduce a new machine and when talking about backwards compatibility introduce the Switch Classics range with titles for £30/$40 and use them as support acts for the headline 'Switch 2' titles.
I would be simply shocked if the next Nintendo console wasnt complete backward compatible to Switch. However, Nintendo will want to avoid the Wii-U situation and make sure they differentiate from the previous console. That could be a blocker.
@@jacklawrence3703 Considering PS5 has PS4 backwards compatibility, and the Xbox Series X|S has Xbox, 360 and One games, they would walk on thin ice if they don't include backwards compatibility.
I hope they'll do that, but another thing Nintendo really likes is being anti-piracy, so a new system with proprietary hardware to make it hard for stuff like Steam or whoever to piggyback would probably be up their alley.
Nintendo has always been good with backwards compatibility. Every Gameboy has been able to play every previous Gameboy game, the Wii could play GameCube games, the Wii U could play Wii games and the 3DS could play DS games. The only time when they haven’t done backwards compat was when they changed the format like from cartridge to disk and Vice versa. The fact that the Switch is on the cusp of the being the most successful console in gaming history, I have no doubt in my mind that the Switch’s successor will have every feature the Switch has including being able to play Switch games.
I got Twilight Princess for Wii for $20 as player choice. I was late to the Wii life cycle. It changed my life. One of my favorite games of all time. I had been a Zelda fan since the NES OG tho. It just hit me like no Zelda had since Ocarina of Time at that time.
I feel like many people don’t realize this. All developers would love to sell their games full price for as long as possible but there’s something about Nintendo’s fan base that keeps them buying games at full price long after release.
@@thebestworst8002 That's probably because they have jobs unlike the people that complain and cry about it. They can just buy the used games from eBay which aren't that terrible
People are not buying arms or 12Switch yet they keep their price. I get tired of this argument because it sure as hell isnt true for games that aren’t the flagship titles yet still continue getting sold for full price
I think the market is different now. Nintendo games don't become "old", they sell consistently during their lifetime. I think part of that is not releasing a budget line, as that would make you think like these games are worth less now, or that they're outdated. Games get updated and recieve DLCs, they don't "die" like they used to.
True but like... It's been the norm in the industry to drop prices after a while. PS4 exclusives for example. And that would be fine statement they haven't been making barebones games like Mario sluggers or switch sports, the same price as Xenoblade
Nintendo games even used tend to keep a pretty high value even if there are loads of used copies flying about. It's been a constant thing even for older Nintendo systems. It wasn't always the way but in the past decade or so it's been very much the case that used copies of Nintendo games are getting sold for the exact same price as they would do brand new in places like CEX and GAME
CEX and GAME are daylight robbers. If the games they sold was in any decent way (case is in good condition and it still has any manuals/extras) then I wouldn’t have a problem but sometimes they sell the games in absolute garbage condition for full price. Mad.
My first Nintendo select game was Metroid Prime for the gc. That was when I started to pay attendant to the Nintendo select section. Most of them were good games I think a game that will be good for a Nintendo switch Nintendo select will be Zelda links awakening for ~$20-$30. Or any games that take roughly 10 hours to beat
At this point in time, I’m exhausted with how expensive Switch games are. So I got a PS5, partially because I knew it would save me money in the long-run. Thought, that doesn’t help with the Nintendo games.
My major hope is that if we get more Nintendo Selects, we'll get the updates on the actual cartridges. Like animal Crossing Welcome Amiibo on the 3ds. I want these games to be preserved, and Nintendo has been releasing a lot of unfinished games.
You don’t need to wait for a Selects release for that. Nintendo manufactures updated cartridges in reprints. Ironically, early adopters are often the ones to get short-changed in that respect. But what I really want are reissued physical releases with all updates/DLC on the cartridge.
@@sillygostly for sure. DLC on cartridge would be great. And yeah, it would be nice if Nintendo just updated the cartridges like that, but unfortunately I don't think they really have any reason too in their minds.
I got the Nintendo Selects version of Ocarina of Time 3D back in the day and that game truly changed me. It was my very first Zelda, and it made me realize that games are more than just a hobby and can be truly unique and special. After that, I started trying new games and franchises that I would have never played otherwise. OoT is the reason I am such a big Nintendo fan after all these years and I'm so grateful for those 20$ my dad spent at the store.
I agree with Félix! A cheaper Luigi's Mansion 3 would be great for me since i lost my copy moving out and been rather trying new one's, but it would be great to get it back... Mario tennis aces would be great too since i haven't tryied it and used to love it on n64 and 3ds...
I was a Nintendo fanatic as a kid in the 90s and ran straight for the videogame section in every store that had one and for the latest Nintendo Power or strategy guide section for ones that didn't. I'd really like to see a world where kids can still enjoy that experience like I did, even if they are on a tight budget. It really enriched my life in such an amazing way. I kind of feel like the market has shifted in a way to adapt to those of us that are now adults that can afford to buy full price games. Heck, I have bought a ton of games just for the worry that it will go out of production before I know it and the price will skyrocket. I know the digital marketplace and even moreso, indie games have really opened up a ton of options for budget shoppers. The games you can get for under $10 is insane nowadays. I just hope the days of inexpensive first party Nintendo games haven't left us forever. They just have a different magic in my eyes that can't be replaced.
When were Nintendo games really much cheaper though? Aside from those Budget rereleases they were always as expensive, also in the 90s. That's why we usually didn't get more than 2-4 games a year, but those ones we cherished and got the most of it. Today many kids get way more and still moan about little unimportant things.
I would like Nintendo to do a 3 tier system for a Nintendo Selects/Player's Choice. This would not be a subscription service as much as this sounds like. Also I won't list games from the last year or 2. A tier for $25, another for $30, and finally one for $40. The $25 tier would be for games that probably should of been this price at the start. (Mostly Wii U games that were originally on the Nintendo Selects program.) Games like 1 2 Switch, New Super Mario Brothers U Deluxe, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe. $30 tier for games that some people really find it a really hard sale at full price like Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Yoshi's Crafted World, Kirby Star Allies, Super Mario Party, and Paper Mario and the Origami King. The $40 tier would be for big games that have already been on the market for a pretty long time for the most part, those would be games like Super Mario Odyssey, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Maker 2 Animal Crossing New Horizons. IDK where to put Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it's a Wii U game but at the same time it's getting DLC now again unexpectedly doubling it's track count, I didn't consister DLC for other games but that would take forever and this comment is already getting stupidly long... so I'll end it like this. :p
Paper Mario TTYD is the perfect example. My mom got it for me as a kid (players choice version) and to this day it is still my favorite video game of all time.
This is me for sure, I own a PS5/PC and Switch, the Switch is just INSANELY expensive. My switch is basically an indie machine, why not just get the game on steam at like half price or PS5 which has PS+ and massive discounts in a couple of months. Once in a blue moon stuff gets discounted but its far too infrequent, like SMTV looks awesome but its a year old game and has gone on sale like twice? Also I'm not in the US so no amazon deals for me.
The annoying thing that the lack of an official price cut means used switch games on the market don't really get discounted. Like I'll see Switch games at GameStop and Target for ~41 dollars, but someone will be trying to sell Switch games for 40 dollars.
This is a big issue for me, I actually often avoid getting Nintendo games because I think they are TOO pricey. I would LOVE to buy a lot more of their games if they became Nintendo Selects... I mean full price for Breath of the Wild... I get it.... but full price for Captain Toad, or even Link's awakening... Although awesome games. they aren't nearly the same value these heavy hitters. Same goes for Yoshi's Crafted World's... I would still enjoy to play that with my partner, but not for full price. Same goes for Kirby, I really like the look of that game and it seems like a fun time. But I'm not sure I will be committed enough to complete the whole game. Not to mention Mario 3D World, which I have already played on the WiiU, but I can't buy Bowser's Fury on the side.... Nintendo is basically robbing me from playing their games because they are too aggressive on pricing. I don't value their games SO much higher over other great titles. Especially when there is such a good indie scene. The gaming landscape is changing and I think this will bite Nintendo in the butt in the long run.
The main audience are kids, and they don't know how to value games so just ask their parents to buy them. That's my belief on why Nintendo doesn't even give a f* about us
Here's the good thing though. You can buy a game new, take your time playing through it, and nearly always resell it to get most of your money back. Until I started collecting switch games, this was my go-to move. Played through a ton of games that ended up costing ten to twenty bucks after reselling them. A few actually went up in value so I made a profit off of them. Other console's games lose value much quicker, so I tend to rush through them if I'm planning on reselling them after I'm finished.
@@ultaedits5751 At least they responded to me after I told him about people using Iwata's death as a weapon against them in a disgusting and disturbing way that disturbed a bunch of his and people online
@@robertjarrell9754 It's a no-go for me, I actually enjoy owning my games, and more often than not I actually complete them way after the consoles life cycle. (Because of limited time for gaming as an adult + the vast amount of "other games" stealing your attention). I actually bought Captain Toad on a sale digitally, and I have played a level every now and then for 2 years. Now I am at DLC... but If I owned it physically I would have a hard time selling it as it is such an awesome little game. :) But still, If feel like Captain toad is a smaller, simpler game, it should fit into a "Nintendo Selects" category.
@@ultaedits5751 It's actually quite simple... All stock traded companies are bound by law to make the most profit to their share holders. This is why Nintendo sucks when they are top dogs (Now during the Nintendo Switch era) and why they were actually a nicer, more consumer friendly company when they aren't selling as well (during the Wii U era, or gamecube etc.) Because then they need to fight to keep up their good name in the industry.
Yoshi's Crafted World Captain Toad Treasure Tracker The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening These games didn't even feel like big releases when they dropped, I think becoming budget titles would be perfect.
I think games should in general be priced more reasonably from the beginning, considering amount of content and quality. Then games like those would be cheaper...only problem is, games like BOTW or Smash Ultimate would then cost like 200€... 😅
I like Alex’s idea for a cardboard sleeve under the shrink wrap but I could honestly just be a slim cardboard corner peace that goes under the shrink wrap so that it’s something that can easily be thrown away and they would have to reprint the box art onto another piece of cardboard and a full cover for the box under the shrink rap would probably be something some people (me included) would wanna keep it even though it’s useless
One thing I noticed getting my first PlayStation console (PS4) is that the price is so low for most games. I've paid at most $40 cad, but usually around $10 to $20, for all the great games on the console while Switch games always cost full price $80.
Yeah, I've felt so spoiled with the Playstation discounts - and I still end up not purchasing anything because I think about the games potentially coming to plus.
PlayStation games drop in value very quickly (and I doubt it’s Sony’s choice) I just bought about five or so physical PS4 games and it only costed be about £60. I usually spend that much on about two-ish Physical Switch games
@@BritishTeaFGC Games should drop in the value, though, because video games should be for everybody that want to get into them. You can't be on a budget and be on Nintendo's ecosystem the same way you can for Sony & Microsoft (and Steam).
When I got players choice super Mario sunshine it legitimately did change my life! I had a brain injury as a child and playing that game helped develop my hand eye coordination and motor skills, along with decision making and reflexes and soooo many other things. I remember it being really challenging but I still managed to beat it! Genuinely believe without that game, among others , I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I got into the GameCube late, and I was able to get Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker and Metroid Prime as players choice, all at a 3rd of their launch price. I never would have been able to afford them at full price, and I would have missed out on some of the biggest games of the generation. Definitely wish we still had something like this, just without messing up the boxes haha.
Though it wouldn't surprise me if we don't get a "Switch Selects" series due to the popularity of the Switch, I also feel never say never. It's just that even though the Switch is over 5 years old, we're still quite far off from the end of the Switch's life (we've got another year of Mario Kart content and they just announced two years of Splatoon 3 content), so any potential "Switch Selects" series could just be a long way off as opposed to never happening. Once the sales and the popularity die down, maybe then we may finally get some kind of discounted lineup to renew interest for one final hurrah. Let's hope at least 😊
I don't think we'll get Nintendo "Selects" games for Switch. I know in the past they sometimes came with updated software or new versions with patches. Since it's all online now I think the best we can hope for is the occasional sale on the E-Shop, or a used game store that has too many copies of the game and looking to get rid of them. Nintendo's not even sure what their next system is going to be. I've heard some say they want the new one to be backward compatible with the Switch (I agree), and I've heard some say they think the switch should/could be used as a gamepad (like the Wii U had) for the new system. Which I do like that idea. I honestly think the days of re-releasing games as Nintendo Selects are in the past.
Honestly the prices are why most of my games are not switch exclusives. Sad cause I really do want them all but I’m a budget buyer and well they never go on deep enough sales.
Yep....its pretty hard justifying buying a 50 dollars game for the switch, when you can buy the same game for 15 dollars on xbox X or PS5....Its ridiculous. Nintendo is ripping poeple off.
i'm still hoping for a physical Smash definitive edition with all the dlcs and miis. but i think it would be released on the switch successor not this gen.
Yeah I feel like at some point on the next Switch we could get a "Smash Ultimate Deluxe" which will include all include extra content in addition to all the base game content and DLC which will be sold on it's own or if you own the original game you can upgrade to for a small fee, assuming the next Switch takes a similar upgrade path as the PS5 did from the PS4
I can’t think of a Nintendo select that changed my life. I honestly didn’t really care about box art or any of that at all as a kid. To me it was a utilitarian tool to keep my discs from being scratched.
I wish Switch games only cost $60. Here in Canada, they retail for $80 and having to fork out almost $100 per game is brutal. My Switch collection has some pretty significant holes because the games are so damn expensive.
Preach. Fellow Canadian here. I'm told the best way to purchase Switch games is through Shopper's Drug Mart with PC Optimum Points through their 20,000 bonus points days.
My first experience with Halo and Halo 2 were both Platinum Hits on the 360 and I could only afford them both at the same time at that age because of their price cut
Nintendo is too greedy and cheap to drop its first party studio game prices. They can't even revamp breaking joy-con analog stick designs still, after all these years
To answer Zion's question: I haven't bought a Nintendo Selects (yet - would love to buy Switch Selects), however I have an example of getting a game which drew me into the series. I used to frequent a Dutch Nintendo news website and won a game there. I wasn't sure if I would like the game, but hey: a free game is a free game. I tried it out and was completely blown away by it. The game in question is Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse. Since then I have bought SMT IV (on 3DS), III Nocturne and V. So yes, I believe that lowering the threshold for acquiring a game can be an effective sales/marketing strategy. There are many games I'd love to try, but I find to expensive, like Link's Awakening that got mentioned. I played the Virtual Console version so I don't feel pressured to play the remake, even though I would love to revisit Koholint Island in HD some day.
I wish they would bring back the selects! Almost all the nintendo games I had bought before Switch were selects because my family was too poor to afford the full priced games. Growing up I barely got to play any Mario games because they were way too expensive and now to this day I don't care as much about that series because I was practically locked out by Nintendo of growing up with it.
Yeah, and even if those 2 games *are* cost-effective (like Alex says later), at the end of the day, it's still only 2 games--meanwhile, other people can have backlogs, and can *add* to their backlogs... 😕
Back then we didn't have the option of great and much cheaper Indie titles though as we have today. Gaming in general is a luxury hobby to begin with though.
Nice discussion, as always! I'm pretty sure the select line is coming soon, right on time for the Switch Pro next year...;) Jokes aside, personally speaking, I always find the general price discussion a bit silly. Of course I'd be thrilled to have a select line of cheaper titles (I'd definitely get Yoshi's Crafted World, for instance), but in the end everyone has their own threshold of what they're willing to pay for a specific game, depending on genre, playtime hours, whether they know the series etc. ... Now, I'm in no way arguing that games should be more expensive, that there shouldn't be more sales, or that poor Nintendo will immediately shut down the moment their games don't cost 60€ lol I just feel often the discussions I've seen were based on '*I'm* not willing to pay xy€ for this, so they have to make it cheaper' and that comes of as low-key entitled. But I agree that a lower price could definitely give games that might usually be overseen another chance! So I do hope we will get a select line (with good box art lol) at some point...
Yup people somehow don’t realize they are only $50 at Walmart, most old switch games like botw, odyssey, etc are always on sale for at least 40% off and they are even cheaper on Amazon
Yeah, so wierd. My Walmart also sells Switch games for $50. I have NEVER understood how why this happens. Is it a mistake? I would think Nintendo would want it to be sold at 60 EVERYWHERE. What's up with the Walmart price? I love it! Takes me back to when I was a kid buying games for 50 bucks... Lol
The walmart near where I live closed down and had a clearance sale on everything. Bought brand new Skyrim (Switch ver) for 15 bucks. All other new titles were around the same price, but people cleared the shelves before I could get to it
When youre on top, you gotta make as much as you can off the people wanting your product. You never know when they will release another stinker like the wii u. The wii and ds era really filled their coffers and kept them afloat when they were dropping the ball in wii u and 3ds era.
Mario kart is constantly on top seller list in different countries. They are a business and report to shareholders that want growth and dividends. How would they justify reducing price for games that sell millions every year? How? Having limited time sales like Boxing Day and Black Friday allows people without as much disposable income to buy while not hurting revenue from regular purchases. Economics 101. Sucks but it’s business for a public company. You don’t devalue a product when there’s demand. I just hope they don’t increase the price like Sony anytime soon.
I thought that dropping the price of Splatoon 2 six months to a year before Splatoon 3 released would have made sense to drum up hype and bring people into the community, but I don't think it would really make sense at this point. And as for a greatest hits case design, I'd swap the color to blue, so a stack of Switch games were red and blue like the original JoyCon colors.
That’s not a bad idea. There are times where I completely avoid buying a “selects” or “platinum” game because they made the box design ugly for no reason. Making the case look the same but with blue is a good idea!
Then they'll claim, "Why should a game diminish in value because of its age?" I dunno, probably because of the same "supply-and-demand" fanboys keep parroting? If Sony & Microsoft can put their first party titles on sale, so too can Nintendo (and not a measly 33% off).
As someone that lives in Brazil, budget games were the only games I could possibly afford when I was a kid (Legally, of course). When I was 17, I saved my money for 2 whole years to be able to buy an used 3ds xl and a Nintendo selects copy of Ocarina of time 3d. As it stands right now, switch games here cost around 300 reais. That's just too much. And that's why piracy is such a huge deal here.
@@gabrieldias9137 Triste demais. E a Nintendo, nem pra se representar aqui direito. 300 reais o jogo, e nem tem como comprar jogos físicos sem importar, ou comprar de quem importa.
@@ivytmoura Os jogos físicos são mais caros que a versão digital da eshop e mesmo se o jogo ja tem 5 anos ele continua sendo 300 reais.O negócio e você escolher quais você quer muito jogar e quais você nunca vai poder e tentar comprar 1 jogo a cada 2 anos 😔
Back in the day I got Star Fox 64 at the Player’s Choice pricing with a bundled Rumble Pak, and that went on to be one of my favorite games of all time.
i honestly don't think its ever going to happen with the way the online reselling market is these days. for the first party games anyway. maybe there will be some kind of discount when stores and retailers are looking to clear stock to make room for games for the Switchs successor, when it has a big enough library for its own specialized games, but as soon as these games go out of retail I expect them to actually go above MSRP.
In my country the dollar is worth 5 times more, which makes $60 become 300. I love physical games and I just wish I had the opportunity to buy 10-15 games by the end of the generation. 😭
I mean, Switch exclusives keep up pace with and outsell PlayStation exclusives while never getting discounts, while Sony gives MASSIVE discounts and even just gives em out for free occasionally. Writing is kinda on the wall, not to mention it does help a bit with the brand image of Nintendo games as the best of the best (no matter if you disagree or not).
gta5 and rdr2 outsell most switch exclusives but still get discounts just beacuse a game is super successful doesnt mean it cant get a discount and of course switch exclusives outsell playstation ones you get the switch for exclusives while playstations are mostly third party machines.
@@NM-sb9co I did say it was partly because of brand image, also GTA5 is literally older than MarioKart 8, and both it and RDR2 have microtransaction injected online components, so not the best examples.
@@EnigmaticGentleman ok what does the release date have to do with it? nintendo also has old games that dont get sales and while yes they are full of shitty microtransaction nintendo also recently launced very barebones games that are not worth the actual price with the sport games. its crazy that a game like rdr2 costs less then mario strikers even with the microtransaction.
@@NM-sb9co They really dont actually sell anything older than the Wii U, all that is on subscription services. Also i was never actually defending it, just pointing out facts (even though ive loved most of mario sports this generation).
@@EnigmaticGentleman mario kart 8 is one year after gta does such a small gap even matter and if you dont defend it then thats fine i just dont agree with the stance of it keeps selling it makes it ok but youre saying youre not defending it so im fine with that
If nintendo refuses to make their games affordable then kids with limited pocket money are gonna buy third party games, and in a generation or two young people won't recognize Mario. Right now they're digging their own grave.
I never really thought of them as being that expensive to begin with. A nes cart when I was a kid was 50-60 bucks. I really don’t think the price of games has increased much since the late 80s early 90s.
I'm enjoying this new podcast title. I'm much more engaged in these discussions than any review video (Nintendo Life or otherwise). I have found a lot of channels moving towards this conversational pseudo podcast style lately (Like SwitchUp for example) and I really do prefer discussions over straight facts. Don't get me wrong I still like reviews but these videos are great to put on and play while gaming or just to unwind after work.
One of my first nintendo select games was sonic riders, it just looked really cool and I enjoyed it as a kid. Didn't really mind the label being different and I still don't mind to this day. One select game that's my favorite overall is luigi's mansion since it was a game I was never able to play growing up and I finally bought it as an adult 6 years ago. I got that same feeling as I did with sonic riders but luigi's mansion holds up more, in my opinion. I enjoyed the overall discussion, great stuff.
My Player’s Choice copy of Animal Crossing on the GameCube was absolutely life changing. I actually didn’t think I was going to like it but my mom thought it was cute (and probably noticed the lower price) so she bought it anyways and now I’m a lifelong fan of the franchise. For my 6th birthday my mom got me another memory card for it that had my house fully expanded, gold statue, all the NES games on it, etc. and it was awesome.
Any of your first party titles that have been available for longer than half of the Switch's life span should get the Players Select treatment. Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Breath of the Wild, DK Country Tropical Freeze, Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee, maybe Luigi's Mansion, etc. I'd even include Octopath Traveler. Those were the types of games that would get those Select releases, so that would be a good start.
Here's my ideal line-up for Nintendo Selects. I have where they aren't all $30 because some of the games would basically be their complete editions and thus be a bit more expensive, but only about $10 more. I would also have games that had big free updates also get new box art and extra labels to show to people all the content is on the cartridge. Basic price drop games ($30): DKC Tropical Freeze, Hyrule Warriors DE, Link's Awakening, Mario Odyssey, Snipperclips Plus, The Stretchers, Good Job!, TWEWY FR, Astral Chain, Octopath Traveler, Super Mario Party Price drop + all free dlc and new box art ($30): ARMS, Kirby Star Allies, Mario Maker 2, Mario Tennis Aces, Mario Golf Super Rush Price drop + all paid dlc ($30-$50 depending on dlc amounts and previous game price): BOTW, Splatoon 2, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Captain Toad, Pokken, Luigi's Mansion 3, ACNH, Smash Ultimate This list could get even crazier with 3rd parties getting in the line up, but this is all just hypotheticals. This is just a mock up of what I would want from a potential line like this
As a marketing professional, I understand Nintendo's logic. Their games are very well finished, they are of excellent quality, so naturally, the pricing strategy goes in that direction. But as a consumer, I think that paying $60 for my copy of Tropical Freeze in a store, a game that came out 4 years ago, still hurts. That's really the only thing I have against Nintendo: the crazy prices. Because otherwise, it's really the best. They've got the video game figured out perfectly.
The question is - is the game worse now than it was when it got first released? If it never was released on the Wii U but now, nobody would complain, even if it's the same game. I don't get the lose of value through a few years...the game doesn't "expire" with time. I get it with really old small games that you can beat today in 1-5 hours, but rather recent games that are actually really worth it (in terms of quality and content), there is no real reason why a few years should make it cheaper (except that consumers want to pay less).
The fact they only did Nintendo Selects on Wii U in *2016* (the last year of the console, when it was essentially dead and everybody only talked about NX and BotW) tells me we need to wait a little longer. But I can imagine they re-releasing some "smaller" titles (Yoshi, DK, 2D Kirby, Mario Maker 2...) with the "Selects" brand when the next hardware arrives
There is no reason from a business perspective for Nintendo to do a Switch Nintendo Selects program. As much as everyone hates it (including me), the MRSP for video games is now $70. Nintendo is actually selling their games under the current industry standard due to the longevity of the Switch.
It's not because of the longevity of the switch, it's the fact that it's graphics are 2 generations behind. So definitely not as many resources needed to justify $70.
As a child I bought Twilight Princess Selects Version. The game made me fall in love with the Zelda series and it has been my favorite game for the longest time. I wouldnt have bought it if it wasn't 20€.
I hate the “they don’t have to drop the prices because they’re Nintendo” argument. Literally every console other than the Switch has done that. A lot of the top selling games ever were eventual budget titles
Nintendo realized they don't need to discount their games because people will continue to buy them, as the Switch has been consistently hot since it released. They used to cut the price on games it to boost sales later in the respective console's life, which made a lot of sense, but when people consistently buy the games at normal retail price, there's no need to cut the price. Their sentiment will definitely change if they get into another type of Wii U situation where games just aren't selling.
Besides, Switch carts are expensive. I think they'll just print Switch carts until games are out of stock and then put more generous sales down the line digitally. I don't see them selling games at $30 sadly.
As a kid my brother and I got a players choice version of the original animal crossing and it did infact change my life. It became my favorite game of all time, created a lifelong love of interior design, fashion, stationary, and doing small nice things for friends and neighbors in real life to make the everyday special
There’s a bit of a tough dynamic here. On one hand, I’m glad prices haven’t dropped because it makes buying the games more worth it since the buyer knows that the game will retain its value over time. On the other hand, this really sucks for budget gamers, for obvious reasons.
Budget gamers should sell their games anyway once they complete them so I don't really see the issue here. They can basically play Nintendo games almost for free while with every other game company they couldn't do that due to devaluation.
@@Qwerty10254 imo budget gamers deserve to collect games just as much as non budget gamers, so I definitely see some issue. But, I absolutely agree with you that buying Nintendo games in a vacuum is far more worth it since other companies games sometimes tend to devalue quickly.
@@PortableMediaReviews i mean, playing games isn't a fundamental right or anything like that. Steam doing sales and having games for less than one penny isn't something they do because they're kind and generous, it's just that they get more money by discounting and depreciating them heavily after a while. It's just demand and supply. Also some Nintendo games definitely lose value especially if you buy them used, of course not straight away but after some months or years some of them absolutely do.
I truly hope not. It is incredibly aggravating that I can't play genuine versions of my childhood games because everyone wants to be a collector and sell them at bs prices. Hell, there are people who buy the games and don't even open the box... They just put them in a glass display cabinet and brag that they own the game. Is this what we want? Nintendo needs to work on keeping older games playable and available otherwise newer generations and older supporters miss out.
I don't think games will get cheaper instead I believe they will leave the 60dls price tag but include Octo-expansion on splatoon 2. Happy home paradise for animal crossing. The dlc for breath of the wild and the Booster Course Pass for mario kart 8 deluxe. I'd personally double dip on those if the dlc ends up on the cartridge lol
I think they will because they wouldn’t have reduced prices for specials every now and then. And also here in the states Black Friday a lot of first party titles tend to go down half price I got both botw and Mario tennis aces together for 60 bucks. So it’s not that they won’t do it but I think they are gonna wait a little longer than normal to start the new selects line. That will prolly start when they release the new rumored switch pro. And it’s also rumored that the system will have exclusives to meet the hardware specs of it compared to the graphic capabilities of the games from 2017 launch they will die out demand for them will be cut AND then price drops will have to be implemented
It's a tough time to be a Nintendo owner here in Brazil. Ou currency (Real) at present is worth only one fifth of a US dollar, which at the end means that a single US$50 game costs more than 25% of the brazillian minimum wage (and data shows that something like 50% of brazillians live with a minimum wage or less). So, at least here, it would be a great time to have some selected titles being sold at lower prices.
I have about 3 hundred hours across two platforms for hollow knight I couldn’t agree more with using that as an example of how much time you can get out of a video games price.
The idea for a cardboard sleeve on selects is my worst nightmare because I would want to keep everything together, the mere suggestion of it brings a shiver down my spine
It's Nintendo, they won't do it because they make more money and still sell copies at full price. Good point on the e-Shop's temporary sales and shooting games up to the top of the sales charts only to then bring them back up to full price but with the benefit (for them) of the better visibility as a top seller. Also... this video reminded me of just how good of a deal Xbox Game pass really is. Use an old Xbox One S/X or pay only $300 for a very capable Xbox Series S and pay like $15/mo for Game Pass Ultimate and you get a huge, partially-rotating (exception: first-party/Microsoft games) selection of games you can play as much as you want until they are replaced by other games. Nintendo has no way to play their own modern games other than buying them new or digital for full or nearly full price, or buying old physical copies. Back in the GameCube days I used to monitor games' age and price trends (especially first-party games) and follow the news for announcements on what games were announced to be going Player's Choice and I'd immediately go out and buy that game at the local store for $20 before the current stock was replaced with the new stock featuring that crappy box art that sticks out like a sore thumb. I did the same with Xbox and PS2 whenever possible.
That's the neat part, it won't happen. See, the Switch is a successful platform and Nintendo doesn't like to lower the price when their stuff sells well. The Gamecube sadly was a poor selling system. Its why the platform sold for $99 late in its life time and some of the best games sold for about $30 with the best seller yellow label. The best we'll get with 1st party Nintendo games is the 20~30% off deals in the summer and winter sales.
@@АлександрТерехов-ж3й I guess my point is, there are price cuts on games and huge sales on games and consoles even with successful platforms other than Nintendo. I literally bought Spiderman, God of War, and Kingdom Hearts 3 brand new for $20 each. And the PS4 was a very successful platform. But you will never see prices like that for Nintendo games.
Nintendo can’t survive selling Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for any less
How could they possibly break even after investing so much into the New Funky Mode unless it cost $59.99? It’s a game changer in the industry
Dk Tropical Freeze goes down in price and Nintendo revenue and stocks drop like a boulder in the ocean.
@@icedmorning7610 😂. Nailed it
Nintendo sells it for $50, the WiiU is a flop. Nintendo sells it for $60, the Switch is a massive success. Coincidence?
Yes.
@@tristanneal9552 this is why the Switch has nothing
The Switch has needed a Selects line since forever ago. Pretty soon, games like Splatoon 2 will be $60 while Splatoon 3 is out, also for $60. Same with BOTW / BOTW2, etc.
Then there’s games like ARMS, Mario Tennis, etc, games that had an online focus with a small amount of content that have had their run, have sold 90% of what they will ever sell.. still $60.
And of course ports like Tropical Freeze that are still $60, when it *launched* at $50 on Wii U and then was permanently reduced to $20… still $60.
All of these are only a handful of examples of the Nintendo-published games on Switch that are crying for a price reduction… Nintendo under Furukawa is greedy as hell.
Somewhat disagree with the last part. It's true that Nintendo under Iwata did the Selects line and all that but it's also important to note that they almost never did sales before it. Sure, the sales they do now are around 33% max which is embarassing but it's also a good first step. The next one should be implementing the selects line again and hopefully, eventually, they start doing bigger sales before cutting the price.
It is indeed weird that Splatoon 2 and 3 are going to be the same price, but it's normal for Singleplayer games like botw and botw2, since they will (hopefully) be a completely new game
@@pokemigas6049 People mistakenly believe that Nintendo suddenly became the bad guy as soon as Furukawa and Bowser took their first step into their HQ.
@@spongeman3090 Agreed and thank you. that's why I've been trying to tell people
@@spongeman3090 I'm glad I'm not the only one who knows the truth
Just gotta say, there's not many channels where I could listen to 3 people talk about the possibility of Player's Select games for over half an hour...lol, but I could damn well listen to you guys talk about it all day. Just something about your discussions that are so insightful and relaxing. And Felix, you are an awesome addition to this channel!
Well everyone has their own preference. I'm around the same age as Zion and Alex, so I can definitely relate to what they talk about more, especially in retro gaming. But I think Felix is a good addition that provides context for the younger gamers, and offers a different perspective. But yea, just my opinion.
If there's one thing I've learned over my lifetime, it's that Nintendo's prices on their main franchises (Zelda, Mario, etc.) NEVER go below ~70% of their original retail price. No matter how old. They take them off the shelves completely before the price gets any lower.
That's not always the case, I remember NSMBU on the Wii U dropped in value like a rock even well before NSMBU Switch port got announced. Also Zelda Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword on the Wii if I recall correctly dropped in price quite a bit.
Did you listen the video?
People dumb enough to buy a 2017 games for $40.
@@WheeledHamster either that or you don't get the game I hate that it's 40 dollars but what can you do
Adjusted for inflation $40 in 2024 is pretty cheap compared to the $50 nes games were in 1990. I think nintendo wants full price of games to be $80 and the discount price to be $40.
That's the neat part, they don't.
Amonged Us
Nintendo's "strategy": Keeping our prices fixed, regardless of year over year inflation on goods, naturally makes our games cheaper over time.
Cause they have the “Nintendo” mark on it
Literally 0 people still play pokken, the game died horribly and yet they’re still trying to sell that to us for 75 dollars with the dlc ☠️
I think we just need more demos and trials so people can more clearly know what they are buying before spending £50
My theory is that the next console will be fully backwards compatible, Nintendo will introduce a new machine and when talking about backwards compatibility introduce the Switch Classics range with titles for £30/$40 and use them as support acts for the headline 'Switch 2' titles.
I would be simply shocked if the next Nintendo console wasnt complete backward compatible to Switch. However, Nintendo will want to avoid the Wii-U situation and make sure they differentiate from the previous console. That could be a blocker.
Back Comp sounds way too kind for current Nintendo
@@jacklawrence3703 Considering PS5 has PS4 backwards compatibility, and the Xbox Series X|S has Xbox, 360 and One games, they would walk on thin ice if they don't include backwards compatibility.
I hope they'll do that, but another thing Nintendo really likes is being anti-piracy, so a new system with proprietary hardware to make it hard for stuff like Steam or whoever to piggyback would probably be up their alley.
Nintendo has always been good with backwards compatibility. Every Gameboy has been able to play every previous Gameboy game, the Wii could play GameCube games, the Wii U could play Wii games and the 3DS could play DS games. The only time when they haven’t done backwards compat was when they changed the format like from cartridge to disk and Vice versa. The fact that the Switch is on the cusp of the being the most successful console in gaming history, I have no doubt in my mind that the Switch’s successor will have every feature the Switch has including being able to play Switch games.
I got Twilight Princess for Wii for $20 as player choice. I was late to the Wii life cycle. It changed my life. One of my favorite games of all time. I had been a Zelda fan since the NES OG tho. It just hit me like no Zelda had since Ocarina of Time at that time.
The best zelda game.
Never because people still buy them no matter the price.
I feel like many people don’t realize this. All developers would love to sell their games full price for as long as possible but there’s something about Nintendo’s fan base that keeps them buying games at full price long after release.
@@thebestworst8002 That's probably because they have jobs unlike the people that complain and cry about it. They can just buy the used games from eBay which aren't that terrible
People are not buying arms or 12Switch yet they keep their price. I get tired of this argument because it sure as hell isnt true for games that aren’t the flagship titles yet still continue getting sold for full price
I think the market is different now. Nintendo games don't become "old", they sell consistently during their lifetime. I think part of that is not releasing a budget line, as that would make you think like these games are worth less now, or that they're outdated. Games get updated and recieve DLCs, they don't "die" like they used to.
That's a fantastic point. The games that received a lot of updates don't really become old anymore, and those games don't need to sell for less.
True but like... It's been the norm in the industry to drop prices after a while. PS4 exclusives for example.
And that would be fine statement they haven't been making barebones games like Mario sluggers or switch sports, the same price as Xenoblade
i mean they still "die" but you're right DLC and updates has lengthened that process but it still happens like on PS4
Nintendo games even used tend to keep a pretty high value even if there are loads of used copies flying about. It's been a constant thing even for older Nintendo systems. It wasn't always the way but in the past decade or so it's been very much the case that used copies of Nintendo games are getting sold for the exact same price as they would do brand new in places like CEX and GAME
CEX and GAME are daylight robbers. If the games they sold was in any decent way (case is in good condition and it still has any manuals/extras) then I wouldn’t have a problem but sometimes they sell the games in absolute garbage condition for full price. Mad.
I demand that once a week we have Alex, Zion and Felix just randomly list places we could be from now on until forever
My first Nintendo select game was Metroid Prime for the gc. That was when I started to pay attendant to the Nintendo select section. Most of them were good games
I think a game that will be good for a Nintendo switch Nintendo select will be Zelda links awakening for ~$20-$30. Or any games that take roughly 10 hours to beat
Metroid Prime was my first one too! Yeah, most of those games were all great ones. Think my copy of Mario Sunshine was one also.
At this point in time, I’m exhausted with how expensive Switch games are. So I got a PS5, partially because I knew it would save me money in the long-run. Thought, that doesn’t help with the Nintendo games.
Yep and you will be one of many if Nintendo doesn't put more effort into preserving older titles so that everyone can enjoy them.
My major hope is that if we get more Nintendo Selects, we'll get the updates on the actual cartridges. Like animal Crossing Welcome Amiibo on the 3ds. I want these games to be preserved, and Nintendo has been releasing a lot of unfinished games.
You don’t need to wait for a Selects release for that. Nintendo manufactures updated cartridges in reprints. Ironically, early adopters are often the ones to get short-changed in that respect.
But what I really want are reissued physical releases with all updates/DLC on the cartridge.
@@sillygostly for sure. DLC on cartridge would be great. And yeah, it would be nice if Nintendo just updated the cartridges like that, but unfortunately I don't think they really have any reason too in their minds.
I got the Nintendo Selects version of Ocarina of Time 3D back in the day and that game truly changed me. It was my very first Zelda, and it made me realize that games are more than just a hobby and can be truly unique and special. After that, I started trying new games and franchises that I would have never played otherwise. OoT is the reason I am such a big Nintendo fan after all these years and I'm so grateful for those 20$ my dad spent at the store.
lovely story!
I agree with Félix! A cheaper Luigi's Mansion 3 would be great for me since i lost my copy moving out and been rather trying new one's, but it would be great to get it back... Mario tennis aces would be great too since i haven't tryied it and used to love it on n64 and 3ds...
Save yourself the money. Aces is dogshit you’d rather play power tennis
@@thomashigginsmusic Speak for yourself
I got six PS4 games for only 70 bucks. Can't get a deal like that for the Switch.
I was a Nintendo fanatic as a kid in the 90s and ran straight for the videogame section in every store that had one and for the latest Nintendo Power or strategy guide section for ones that didn't.
I'd really like to see a world where kids can still enjoy that experience like I did, even if they are on a tight budget. It really enriched my life in such an amazing way.
I kind of feel like the market has shifted in a way to adapt to those of us that are now adults that can afford to buy full price games. Heck, I have bought a ton of games just for the worry that it will go out of production before I know it and the price will skyrocket.
I know the digital marketplace and even moreso, indie games have really opened up a ton of options for budget shoppers. The games you can get for under $10 is insane nowadays. I just hope the days of inexpensive first party Nintendo games haven't left us forever. They just have a different magic in my eyes that can't be replaced.
When were Nintendo games really much cheaper though? Aside from those Budget rereleases they were always as expensive, also in the 90s. That's why we usually didn't get more than 2-4 games a year, but those ones we cherished and got the most of it. Today many kids get way more and still moan about little unimportant things.
I would like Nintendo to do a 3 tier system for a Nintendo Selects/Player's Choice. This would not be a subscription service as much as this sounds like. Also I won't list games from the last year or 2. A tier for $25, another for $30, and finally one for $40. The $25 tier would be for games that probably should of been this price at the start. (Mostly Wii U games that were originally on the Nintendo Selects program.) Games like 1 2 Switch, New Super Mario Brothers U Deluxe, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe. $30 tier for games that some people really find it a really hard sale at full price like Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Yoshi's Crafted World, Kirby Star Allies, Super Mario Party, and Paper Mario and the Origami King. The $40 tier would be for big games that have already been on the market for a pretty long time for the most part, those would be games like Super Mario Odyssey, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Maker 2 Animal Crossing New Horizons. IDK where to put Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it's a Wii U game but at the same time it's getting DLC now again unexpectedly doubling it's track count, I didn't consister DLC for other games but that would take forever and this comment is already getting stupidly long... so I'll end it like this. :p
Paper Mario TTYD is the perfect example. My mom got it for me as a kid (players choice version) and to this day it is still my favorite video game of all time.
And now it sells used for like $200
@@Danbo22987 Exactly it’s nuts! I still have my copy thankfully.
Nintendo games get cheaper? First I've heard of this. 😂
This is me for sure, I own a PS5/PC and Switch, the Switch is just INSANELY expensive. My switch is basically an indie machine, why not just get the game on steam at like half price or PS5 which has PS+ and massive discounts in a couple of months.
Once in a blue moon stuff gets discounted but its far too infrequent, like SMTV looks awesome but its a year old game and has gone on sale like twice? Also I'm not in the US so no amazon deals for me.
The good thing is that many retailers sell games (not preordered ones) for less than $60
Preordered/very new games are $60 until like a month later
Walmart (at least mine) sells most $60 Switch games for $50
@@slump6982 yep i like walmart
The annoying thing that the lack of an official price cut means used switch games on the market don't really get discounted.
Like I'll see Switch games at GameStop and Target for ~41 dollars, but someone will be trying to sell Switch games for 40 dollars.
This is a big issue for me, I actually often avoid getting Nintendo games because I think they are TOO pricey. I would LOVE to buy a lot more of their games if they became Nintendo Selects... I mean full price for Breath of the Wild... I get it.... but full price for Captain Toad, or even Link's awakening... Although awesome games. they aren't nearly the same value these heavy hitters. Same goes for Yoshi's Crafted World's... I would still enjoy to play that with my partner, but not for full price. Same goes for Kirby, I really like the look of that game and it seems like a fun time. But I'm not sure I will be committed enough to complete the whole game. Not to mention Mario 3D World, which I have already played on the WiiU, but I can't buy Bowser's Fury on the side.... Nintendo is basically robbing me from playing their games because they are too aggressive on pricing. I don't value their games SO much higher over other great titles. Especially when there is such a good indie scene. The gaming landscape is changing and I think this will bite Nintendo in the butt in the long run.
The main audience are kids, and they don't know how to value games so just ask their parents to buy them.
That's my belief on why Nintendo doesn't even give a f* about us
Here's the good thing though. You can buy a game new, take your time playing through it, and nearly always resell it to get most of your money back. Until I started collecting switch games, this was my go-to move. Played through a ton of games that ended up costing ten to twenty bucks after reselling them. A few actually went up in value so I made a profit off of them.
Other console's games lose value much quicker, so I tend to rush through them if I'm planning on reselling them after I'm finished.
@@ultaedits5751 At least they responded to me after I told him about people using Iwata's death as a weapon against them in a disgusting and disturbing way that disturbed a bunch of his and people online
@@robertjarrell9754 It's a no-go for me, I actually enjoy owning my games, and more often than not I actually complete them way after the consoles life cycle. (Because of limited time for gaming as an adult + the vast amount of "other games" stealing your attention). I actually bought Captain Toad on a sale digitally, and I have played a level every now and then for 2 years. Now I am at DLC... but If I owned it physically I would have a hard time selling it as it is such an awesome little game. :) But still, If feel like Captain toad is a smaller, simpler game, it should fit into a "Nintendo Selects" category.
@@ultaedits5751 It's actually quite simple... All stock traded companies are bound by law to make the most profit to their share holders. This is why Nintendo sucks when they are top dogs (Now during the Nintendo Switch era) and why they were actually a nicer, more consumer friendly company when they aren't selling as well (during the Wii U era, or gamecube etc.) Because then they need to fight to keep up their good name in the industry.
Yoshi's Crafted World
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
These games didn't even feel like big releases when they dropped, I think becoming budget titles would be perfect.
I think games should in general be priced more reasonably from the beginning, considering amount of content and quality. Then games like those would be cheaper...only problem is, games like BOTW or Smash Ultimate would then cost like 200€... 😅
I like Alex’s idea for a cardboard sleeve under the shrink wrap but I could honestly just be a slim cardboard corner peace that goes under the shrink wrap so that it’s something that can easily be thrown away and they would have to reprint the box art onto another piece of cardboard and a full cover for the box under the shrink rap would probably be something some people (me included) would wanna keep it even though it’s useless
One thing I noticed getting my first PlayStation console (PS4) is that the price is so low for most games. I've paid at most $40 cad, but usually around $10 to $20, for all the great games on the console while Switch games always cost full price $80.
Yup, Sony & Microsoft constantly having sales (that include first party) just expose Nintendo's greed.
Yeah, I've felt so spoiled with the Playstation discounts - and I still end up not purchasing anything because I think about the games potentially coming to plus.
Steam: Haha Amateurs
PlayStation games drop in value very quickly (and I doubt it’s Sony’s choice) I just bought about five or so physical PS4 games and it only costed be about £60. I usually spend that much on about two-ish Physical Switch games
@@BritishTeaFGC Games should drop in the value, though, because video games should be for everybody that want to get into them. You can't be on a budget and be on Nintendo's ecosystem the same way you can for Sony & Microsoft (and Steam).
One Switch game in Canada costs $92 with Sales Tax. 4 games is the price of a New Console. Absolutely absurd.
Yup, only good thing about it for us is PC Optimum points that can eventually be used to get discounts on games.
its 70+ us tax inlcude in usa. so basically, 280 us for 4 games. canada and us is basically in the same situation.
@@SlingMeAWeb
20xs the Points days, are the best!!
Nintendo lowering prices on years old games? Oh my sweet summer child.
🤣
I love how Zion assured Alex that he was indeed Alex during introductions.
When I got players choice super Mario sunshine it legitimately did change my life! I had a brain injury as a child and playing that game helped develop my hand eye coordination and motor skills, along with decision making and reflexes and soooo many other things. I remember it being really challenging but I still managed to beat it! Genuinely believe without that game, among others , I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I got into the GameCube late, and I was able to get Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker and Metroid Prime as players choice, all at a 3rd of their launch price.
I never would have been able to afford them at full price, and I would have missed out on some of the biggest games of the generation. Definitely wish we still had something like this, just without messing up the boxes haha.
Though it wouldn't surprise me if we don't get a "Switch Selects" series due to the popularity of the Switch, I also feel never say never. It's just that even though the Switch is over 5 years old, we're still quite far off from the end of the Switch's life (we've got another year of Mario Kart content and they just announced two years of Splatoon 3 content), so any potential "Switch Selects" series could just be a long way off as opposed to never happening. Once the sales and the popularity die down, maybe then we may finally get some kind of discounted lineup to renew interest for one final hurrah. Let's hope at least 😊
I don't think we'll get Nintendo "Selects" games for Switch. I know in the past they sometimes came with updated software or new versions with patches. Since it's all online now I think the best we can hope for is the occasional sale on the E-Shop, or a used game store that has too many copies of the game and looking to get rid of them. Nintendo's not even sure what their next system is going to be. I've heard some say they want the new one to be backward compatible with the Switch (I agree), and I've heard some say they think the switch should/could be used as a gamepad (like the Wii U had) for the new system. Which I do like that idea.
I honestly think the days of re-releasing games as Nintendo Selects are in the past.
Honestly the prices are why most of my games are not switch exclusives. Sad cause I really do want them all but I’m a budget buyer and well they never go on deep enough sales.
Yep....its pretty hard justifying buying a 50 dollars game for the switch, when you can buy the same game for 15 dollars on xbox X or PS5....Its ridiculous. Nintendo is ripping poeple off.
i'm still hoping for a physical Smash definitive edition with all the dlcs and miis. but i think it would be released on the switch successor not this gen.
Yeah I feel like at some point on the next Switch we could get a "Smash Ultimate Deluxe" which will include all include extra content in addition to all the base game content and DLC which will be sold on it's own or if you own the original game you can upgrade to for a small fee, assuming the next Switch takes a similar upgrade path as the PS5 did from the PS4
We already have that it’s called smash ultimate lol
@@cherrypie581 He means a special version of Smash Ultimate that has everything already
@@megamix5403 with the amount of licensed characters especially one is with Disney I wouldn’t hold my breath
@@megamix5403 that’s why they’re sold separately to cover the licensing costs
I can’t think of a Nintendo select that changed my life. I honestly didn’t really care about box art or any of that at all as a kid. To me it was a utilitarian tool to keep my discs from being scratched.
I wish Switch games only cost $60. Here in Canada, they retail for $80 and having to fork out almost $100 per game is brutal. My Switch collection has some pretty significant holes because the games are so damn expensive.
Preach. Fellow Canadian here.
I'm told the best way to purchase Switch games is through Shopper's Drug Mart with PC Optimum Points through their 20,000 bonus points days.
My first experience with Halo and Halo 2 were both Platinum Hits on the 360 and I could only afford them both at the same time at that age because of their price cut
Nintendo is too greedy and cheap to drop its first party studio game prices. They can't even revamp breaking joy-con analog stick designs still, after all these years
To answer Zion's question: I haven't bought a Nintendo Selects (yet - would love to buy Switch Selects), however I have an example of getting a game which drew me into the series.
I used to frequent a Dutch Nintendo news website and won a game there. I wasn't sure if I would like the game, but hey: a free game is a free game. I tried it out and was completely blown away by it. The game in question is Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse.
Since then I have bought SMT IV (on 3DS), III Nocturne and V. So yes, I believe that lowering the threshold for acquiring a game can be an effective sales/marketing strategy. There are many games I'd love to try, but I find to expensive, like Link's Awakening that got mentioned. I played the Virtual Console version so I don't feel pressured to play the remake, even though I would love to revisit Koholint Island in HD some day.
Monos hermanos = Monkey bros
Pollos hermanos = Breaking Bad
I wish they would bring back the selects! Almost all the nintendo games I had bought before Switch were selects because my family was too poor to afford the full priced games. Growing up I barely got to play any Mario games because they were way too expensive and now to this day I don't care as much about that series because I was practically locked out by Nintendo of growing up with it.
18:34 Anytime I hear Chibi Robo I go straight to Scott the Woz.
Great discussion video.
As someone who grew up in a household where we could only afford 2 games per year IF they were on sale, Alex’s stance on this is really sad to see.
Yeah, and even if those 2 games *are* cost-effective (like Alex says later), at the end of the day, it's still only 2 games--meanwhile, other people can have backlogs, and can *add* to their backlogs... 😕
Yeah that was a massive L. Dude is so out of touch and spoiled
Back then we didn't have the option of great and much cheaper Indie titles though as we have today. Gaming in general is a luxury hobby to begin with though.
Nice discussion, as always! I'm pretty sure the select line is coming soon, right on time for the Switch Pro next year...;)
Jokes aside, personally speaking, I always find the general price discussion a bit silly. Of course I'd be thrilled to have a select line of cheaper titles (I'd definitely get Yoshi's Crafted World, for instance), but in the end everyone has their own threshold of what they're willing to pay for a specific game, depending on genre, playtime hours, whether they know the series etc. ...
Now, I'm in no way arguing that games should be more expensive, that there shouldn't be more sales, or that poor Nintendo will immediately shut down the moment their games don't cost 60€ lol I just feel often the discussions I've seen were based on '*I'm* not willing to pay xy€ for this, so they have to make it cheaper' and that comes of as low-key entitled. But I agree that a lower price could definitely give games that might usually be overseen another chance! So I do hope we will get a select line (with good box art lol) at some point...
Finally, someone else makes that point of distinguishing the *I'm* point, THANK YOU!
My walmart sells games at like 49-52 for some reason.
Smash ultimate last time I checked was 49.52 for some reason
or even cheaper if you buy it 2nd hand depending on who the seller is
Yup people somehow don’t realize they are only $50 at Walmart, most old switch games like botw, odyssey, etc are always on sale for at least 40% off and they are even cheaper on Amazon
Yeah, so wierd. My Walmart also sells Switch games for $50. I have NEVER understood how why this happens. Is it a mistake? I would think Nintendo would want it to be sold at 60 EVERYWHERE. What's up with the Walmart price? I love it! Takes me back to when I was a kid buying games for 50 bucks... Lol
@@Markynava777 you mean $30
The walmart near where I live closed down and had a clearance sale on everything. Bought brand new Skyrim (Switch ver) for 15 bucks. All other new titles were around the same price, but people cleared the shelves before I could get to it
Nintendo is supposed to be the family friendly company of the three yet they're the most greedy and anti-consumer. Their greed is unreasonable.
Never because well one of the reason cartridge are expensive but most reason is it’s Nintendo especially the good/great games.
That Luigi impression from Alex was spot on.
This is why I buy Nintendo games day 1 because even 5 years later they’re still full priced
Honestly I’m sure that’s a reasoning, when there’s no guarantee of a price drop, people are more willing to get it Day 1
@@Danbo22987 absolutely most switch sales prove that tbh
When youre on top, you gotta make as much as you can off the people wanting your product. You never know when they will release another stinker like the wii u. The wii and ds era really filled their coffers and kept them afloat when they were dropping the ball in wii u and 3ds era.
I love Nintendo Life reviews!
I want to buy Astral Chain under $40 (physical copy).
Mario kart is constantly on top seller list in different countries. They are a business and report to shareholders that want growth and dividends. How would they justify reducing price for games that sell millions every year? How? Having limited time sales like Boxing Day and Black Friday allows people without as much disposable income to buy while not hurting revenue from regular purchases. Economics 101.
Sucks but it’s business for a public company. You don’t devalue a product when there’s demand. I just hope they don’t increase the price like Sony anytime soon.
I thought that dropping the price of Splatoon 2 six months to a year before Splatoon 3 released would have made sense to drum up hype and bring people into the community, but I don't think it would really make sense at this point.
And as for a greatest hits case design, I'd swap the color to blue, so a stack of Switch games were red and blue like the original JoyCon colors.
That’s not a bad idea. There are times where I completely avoid buying a “selects” or “platinum” game because they made the box design ugly for no reason. Making the case look the same but with blue is a good idea!
Tbh it's a brilliant idea and that's why they'll never do it :/
Nintendo fans are hilarious. Basically saying "nintendo wont drop the prices because i keep buying 5 year old games for launch price"
Then they'll claim, "Why should a game diminish in value because of its age?" I dunno, probably because of the same "supply-and-demand" fanboys keep parroting? If Sony & Microsoft can put their first party titles on sale, so too can Nintendo (and not a measly 33% off).
@@SlingMeAWeb aye man.. that mario box the only thing that play mario so.... that make it more valuble lol
As someone that lives in Brazil, budget games were the only games I could possibly afford when I was a kid (Legally, of course). When I was 17, I saved my money for 2 whole years to be able to buy an used 3ds xl and a Nintendo selects copy of Ocarina of time 3d. As it stands right now, switch games here cost around 300 reais. That's just too much. And that's why piracy is such a huge deal here.
Comprar jogos no switch aqui e complicado :(
@@gabrieldias9137 Triste demais. E a Nintendo, nem pra se representar aqui direito. 300 reais o jogo, e nem tem como comprar jogos físicos sem importar, ou comprar de quem importa.
@@ivytmoura Os jogos físicos são mais caros que a versão digital da eshop e mesmo se o jogo ja tem 5 anos ele continua sendo 300 reais.O negócio e você escolher quais você quer muito jogar e quais você nunca vai poder e tentar comprar 1 jogo a cada 2 anos 😔
Back in the day I got Star Fox 64 at the Player’s Choice pricing with a bundled Rumble Pak, and that went on to be one of my favorite games of all time.
i honestly don't think its ever going to happen with the way the online reselling market is these days. for the first party games anyway. maybe there will be some kind of discount when stores and retailers are looking to clear stock to make room for games for the Switchs successor, when it has a big enough library for its own specialized games, but as soon as these games go out of retail I expect them to actually go above MSRP.
You guys got to make these into a weekly or biweekly podcast. Also include Kate as your featured guest from time to time.
I collect first party games and I look at it like a subscription. I pay 60 bucks once or twice a month, sometimes skipping a month.
In my country the dollar is worth 5 times more, which makes $60 become 300. I love physical games and I just wish I had the opportunity to buy 10-15 games by the end of the generation. 😭
It's kind of absurd that publishers are against piracy in many places when the price of a single game is the average weekly salary or more.
I mean, Switch exclusives keep up pace with and outsell PlayStation exclusives while never getting discounts, while Sony gives MASSIVE discounts and even just gives em out for free occasionally. Writing is kinda on the wall, not to mention it does help a bit with the brand image of Nintendo games as the best of the best (no matter if you disagree or not).
gta5 and rdr2 outsell most switch exclusives but still get discounts just beacuse a game is super successful doesnt mean it cant get a discount and of course switch exclusives outsell playstation ones you get the switch for exclusives while playstations are mostly third party machines.
@@NM-sb9co I did say it was partly because of brand image, also GTA5 is literally older than MarioKart 8, and both it and RDR2 have microtransaction injected online components, so not the best examples.
@@EnigmaticGentleman ok what does the release date have to do with it? nintendo also has old games that dont get sales and while yes they are full of shitty microtransaction nintendo also recently launced very barebones games that are not worth the actual price with the sport games. its crazy that a game like rdr2 costs less then mario strikers even with the microtransaction.
@@NM-sb9co They really dont actually sell anything older than the Wii U, all that is on subscription services. Also i was never actually defending it, just pointing out facts (even though ive loved most of mario sports this generation).
@@EnigmaticGentleman mario kart 8 is one year after gta does such a small gap even matter and if you dont defend it then thats fine i just dont agree with the stance of it keeps selling it makes it ok but youre saying youre not defending it so im fine with that
If nintendo refuses to make their games affordable then kids with limited pocket money are gonna buy third party games, and in a generation or two young people won't recognize Mario. Right now they're digging their own grave.
I never really thought of them as being that expensive to begin with. A nes cart when I was a kid was 50-60 bucks. I really don’t think the price of games has increased much since the late 80s early 90s.
I'm enjoying this new podcast title. I'm much more engaged in these discussions than any review video (Nintendo Life or otherwise). I have found a lot of channels moving towards this conversational pseudo podcast style lately (Like SwitchUp for example) and I really do prefer discussions over straight facts. Don't get me wrong I still like reviews but these videos are great to put on and play while gaming or just to unwind after work.
1 2 Switch is £20 preowned at CeX Felix!
I'm ABSOLUTELY ice-skating on a plane right now.
One of my first nintendo select games was sonic riders, it just looked really cool and I enjoyed it as a kid. Didn't really mind the label being different and I still don't mind to this day. One select game that's my favorite overall is luigi's mansion since it was a game I was never able to play growing up and I finally bought it as an adult 6 years ago. I got that same feeling as I did with sonic riders but luigi's mansion holds up more, in my opinion. I enjoyed the overall discussion, great stuff.
My Player’s Choice copy of Animal Crossing on the GameCube was absolutely life changing. I actually didn’t think I was going to like it but my mom thought it was cute (and probably noticed the lower price) so she bought it anyways and now I’m a lifelong fan of the franchise. For my 6th birthday my mom got me another memory card for it that had my house fully expanded, gold statue, all the NES games on it, etc. and it was awesome.
When Nintendo isn't being run by old businessmen stuck in the 1990s
Who else is here after Switch games got raised to $70?
Any of your first party titles that have been available for longer than half of the Switch's life span should get the Players Select treatment. Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Breath of the Wild, DK Country Tropical Freeze, Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee, maybe Luigi's Mansion, etc. I'd even include Octopath Traveler. Those were the types of games that would get those Select releases, so that would be a good start.
Here's my ideal line-up for Nintendo Selects. I have where they aren't all $30 because some of the games would basically be their complete editions and thus be a bit more expensive, but only about $10 more. I would also have games that had big free updates also get new box art and extra labels to show to people all the content is on the cartridge.
Basic price drop games ($30): DKC Tropical Freeze, Hyrule Warriors DE, Link's Awakening, Mario Odyssey, Snipperclips Plus, The Stretchers, Good Job!, TWEWY FR, Astral Chain, Octopath Traveler, Super Mario Party
Price drop + all free dlc and new box art ($30): ARMS, Kirby Star Allies, Mario Maker 2, Mario Tennis Aces, Mario Golf Super Rush
Price drop + all paid dlc ($30-$50 depending on dlc amounts and previous game price): BOTW, Splatoon 2, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Captain Toad, Pokken, Luigi's Mansion 3, ACNH, Smash Ultimate
This list could get even crazier with 3rd parties getting in the line up, but this is all just hypotheticals. This is just a mock up of what I would want from a potential line like this
As a marketing professional, I understand Nintendo's logic. Their games are very well finished, they are of excellent quality, so naturally, the pricing strategy goes in that direction.
But as a consumer, I think that paying $60 for my copy of Tropical Freeze in a store, a game that came out 4 years ago, still hurts.
That's really the only thing I have against Nintendo: the crazy prices. Because otherwise, it's really the best. They've got the video game figured out perfectly.
>4 years ago
Lmao more like 8 years ago
The question is - is the game worse now than it was when it got first released? If it never was released on the Wii U but now, nobody would complain, even if it's the same game. I don't get the lose of value through a few years...the game doesn't "expire" with time. I get it with really old small games that you can beat today in 1-5 hours, but rather recent games that are actually really worth it (in terms of quality and content), there is no real reason why a few years should make it cheaper (except that consumers want to pay less).
The fact they only did Nintendo Selects on Wii U in *2016* (the last year of the console, when it was essentially dead and everybody only talked about NX and BotW) tells me we need to wait a little longer. But I can imagine they re-releasing some "smaller" titles (Yoshi, DK, 2D Kirby, Mario Maker 2...) with the "Selects" brand when the next hardware arrives
There is no reason from a business perspective for Nintendo to do a Switch Nintendo Selects program. As much as everyone hates it (including me), the MRSP for video games is now $70. Nintendo is actually selling their games under the current industry standard due to the longevity of the Switch.
It's not because of the longevity of the switch, it's the fact that it's graphics are 2 generations behind. So definitely not as many resources needed to justify $70.
As a child I bought Twilight Princess Selects Version. The game made me fall in love with the Zelda series and it has been my favorite game for the longest time. I wouldnt have bought it if it wasn't 20€.
I hate the “they don’t have to drop the prices because they’re Nintendo” argument. Literally every console other than the Switch has done that. A lot of the top selling games ever were eventual budget titles
They have got cheaper... £50 was the price for triple A on switch in 2017, now its £40.
Nintendo realized they don't need to discount their games because people will continue to buy them, as the Switch has been consistently hot since it released. They used to cut the price on games it
to boost sales later in the respective console's life, which made a lot of sense, but when people consistently buy the games at normal retail price, there's no need to cut the price. Their sentiment will definitely change if they get into another type of Wii U situation where games just aren't selling.
Besides, Switch carts are expensive. I think they'll just print Switch carts until games are out of stock and then put more generous sales down the line digitally. I don't see them selling games at $30 sadly.
I rarely buy games at full price anymore. Unless it is something I am extremely hyped for. I usually will wait for sales for most games.
As a kid my brother and I got a players choice version of the original animal crossing and it did infact change my life.
It became my favorite game of all time, created a lifelong love of interior design, fashion, stationary, and doing small nice things for friends and neighbors in real life to make the everyday special
There’s a bit of a tough dynamic here. On one hand, I’m glad prices haven’t dropped because it makes buying the games more worth it since the buyer knows that the game will retain its value over time.
On the other hand, this really sucks for budget gamers, for obvious reasons.
Budget gamers should sell their games anyway once they complete them so I don't really see the issue here. They can basically play Nintendo games almost for free while with every other game company they couldn't do that due to devaluation.
@@Qwerty10254 imo budget gamers deserve to collect games just as much as non budget gamers, so I definitely see some issue. But, I absolutely agree with you that buying Nintendo games in a vacuum is far more worth it since other companies games sometimes tend to devalue quickly.
@@PortableMediaReviews i mean, playing games isn't a fundamental right or anything like that. Steam doing sales and having games for less than one penny isn't something they do because they're kind and generous, it's just that they get more money by discounting and depreciating them heavily after a while. It's just demand and supply. Also some Nintendo games definitely lose value especially if you buy them used, of course not straight away but after some months or years some of them absolutely do.
The cool thing is that you can buy an older title like donkey Kong on eBay, play it and then sell it for the exact same price again.
Not just older titles, every game. That's the good thing about physical games, you always can sell them again if you don't like them.
I truly hope not. It is incredibly aggravating that I can't play genuine versions of my childhood games because everyone wants to be a collector and sell them at bs prices. Hell, there are people who buy the games and don't even open the box... They just put them in a glass display cabinet and brag that they own the game. Is this what we want? Nintendo needs to work on keeping older games playable and available otherwise newer generations and older supporters miss out.
Re-release “Arms” as a bundle with a joycon. They should have done this 4 years ago…
Dunno why they haven't done that.
1-2 switch and arms would've been perfect bundle titles.
Im glad you guys are shedding light on this topic
I don't think games will get cheaper instead I believe they will leave the 60dls price tag but include Octo-expansion on splatoon 2. Happy home paradise for animal crossing. The dlc for breath of the wild and the Booster Course Pass for mario kart 8 deluxe. I'd personally double dip on those if the dlc ends up on the cartridge lol
I think they will because they wouldn’t have reduced prices for specials every now and then. And also here in the states Black Friday a lot of first party titles tend to go down half price I got both botw and Mario tennis aces together for 60 bucks. So it’s not that they won’t do it but I think they are gonna wait a little longer than normal to start the new selects line. That will prolly start when they release the new rumored switch pro. And it’s also rumored that the system will have exclusives to meet the hardware specs of it compared to the graphic capabilities of the games from 2017 launch they will die out demand for them will be cut AND then price drops will have to be implemented
It's a tough time to be a Nintendo owner here in Brazil. Ou currency (Real) at present is worth only one fifth of a US dollar, which at the end means that a single US$50 game costs more than 25% of the brazillian minimum wage (and data shows that something like 50% of brazillians live with a minimum wage or less).
So, at least here, it would be a great time to have some selected titles being sold at lower prices.
I have about 3 hundred hours across two platforms for hollow knight I couldn’t agree more with using that as an example of how much time you can get out of a video games price.
The players choice label could be a reverse cover, or a clear plastic slipcover w/ players choice printed on it.
There’s easily 10 first party games I wanna play but I’m not paying 79.99 plus tax for a 3-4 year old game
The idea for a cardboard sleeve on selects is my worst nightmare because I would want to keep everything together, the mere suggestion of it brings a shiver down my spine
It's Nintendo, they won't do it because they make more money and still sell copies at full price. Good point on the e-Shop's temporary sales and shooting games up to the top of the sales charts only to then bring them back up to full price but with the benefit (for them) of the better visibility as a top seller.
Also... this video reminded me of just how good of a deal Xbox Game pass really is. Use an old Xbox One S/X or pay only $300 for a very capable Xbox Series S and pay like $15/mo for Game Pass Ultimate and you get a huge, partially-rotating (exception: first-party/Microsoft games) selection of games you can play as much as you want until they are replaced by other games. Nintendo has no way to play their own modern games other than buying them new or digital for full or nearly full price, or buying old physical copies.
Back in the GameCube days I used to monitor games' age and price trends (especially first-party games) and follow the news for announcements on what games were announced to be going Player's Choice and I'd immediately go out and buy that game at the local store for $20 before the current stock was replaced with the new stock featuring that crappy box art that sticks out like a sore thumb. I did the same with Xbox and PS2 whenever possible.
I was under the impression that "Player's Select" was a thing they only did near the end of a console's lifespan
Nintendo is too petty to understand concepts like lowering price ranges.
That's the neat part, it won't happen. See, the Switch is a successful platform and Nintendo doesn't like to lower the price when their stuff sells well. The Gamecube sadly was a poor selling system. Its why the platform sold for $99 late in its life time and some of the best games sold for about $30 with the best seller yellow label. The best we'll get with 1st party Nintendo games is the 20~30% off deals in the summer and winter sales.
i mostly never see 20% off, its basically all the time 30% off lol.
all companies lower prices on goods that sell poorly, that's how the market works
@@АлександрТерехов-ж3й I guess my point is, there are price cuts on games and huge sales on games and consoles even with successful platforms other than Nintendo. I literally bought Spiderman, God of War, and Kingdom Hearts 3 brand new for $20 each. And the PS4 was a very successful platform. But you will never see prices like that for Nintendo games.