Nintendo Switch 2 games are getting more expensive, but only on cartridge

Nintendo has previously offered games for the Nintendo Switch 2 ($449 on Amazon) at the same list price, regardless of whether players opted for the physical or digital version. As retailers usually granted small discounts at launch, this model meant that the digital version was even more expensive in many cases.

This is now changing, as Nintendo has announced that the digital version in the Nintendo eShop will in the future be offered at a lower list price than the cartridge version. This seems to be Nintendo's solution for rising storage costs due to the effects of the DRAM crisis. The prices of games already released will not be adjusted.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is the first title to use this new pricing model. The game will be released in May and can currently be pre-ordered in the Nintendo eShop for $59.99. The RRP of the retail version is $69.99. Nintendo emphasizes that games offer the same content and the same gaming experience, regardless of whether they are purchased digitally or on a cartridge. This change is intended to reflect the "different costs of production and distribution", which makes perfect sense, as game modules not only require expensive memory chips, but a margin must also be factored in for retailers.