Nintendo Switch 2 games are priced to encourage digital purchases, according to analyst

Xbox, PlayStation, and PC gamers have gradually embraced digital gaming. However, Switch fans have been slower in adopting the change, still accumulating cartridge collections. Analysts are now chiming in as buyers question the price of many Switch 2 games. According to one observer, Nintendo aims to persuade more gamers to abandon physical media.

MIDiA Games Industry Analyst Rhys Elliott has been speaking out following the Nintendo Switch 2 price reveal. Elliott commented on the surprisingly high cost of some Switch 2 games, like Mario Kart World. The kart racer is going open world, but that freedom comes at a premium. In some countries, the cartridge version of Mario Kart World will demand 10 Euros more than its digital counterpart. The MIDiA analyst views this as a strategy to reduce manufacturing costs in a challenging economy. 

With the expense of producing cartridges and cases, digital distribution is more economical for Nintendo. Some insiders speculate that the company is using more expensive 3D NAND flash memory for Switch 2, raising costs further. The introduction of virtual game cards is another example of how Nintendo is trying to ease the transition to digital purchases. With some limitations, gamers can transfer their downloads between consoles like cartridges.

Elliott also explained that Nintendo doesn't benefit from the reselling of physical media. Compact switch cartridges are affordable to ship, making them popular items on auction sites. Unfortunately for Nintendo, the company only profits from the initial sale of these games. On the other hand, even if virtual game cards have sharing potential, digital titles are more tied to online accounts.

It may only be a matter of time before Sony and Microsoft follow Nintendo's lead. New U.S. tariffs are making it more expensive to manufacture and import consoles and game discs. Of course, Nintendo's rivals also have the option to abandon tangible media entirely.