Nintendo has sought to justify its bumper £75/$80 price tag for Mario Kart World, and pointed to the lower cost of fellow Switch 2 big hitter Donkey Kong Bananza as evidence it had not established a new, more expensive “benchmark”.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser said Mario Kart World’s higher price tag was simply an example of “variable pricing” that reflected the “breadth and depth of the gameplay”.
“I think you can anticipate that there will be variable pricing, and we haven’t set a benchmark,” Bowser said.
Historically, Nintendo has set some game prices higher than others – most recently Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which was priced at $70, an extra $10 on top of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Other Switch 2 games from Nintendo include Donkey Kong Bananza (£65/$70) and the budget Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which is expected to cost around £5. It’s worth noting, too, that Mario Kart World can be bought at a significant discount in a bundle with a Switch 2 – though it’s unclear how long this offer will last, or whether stock will be sufficient to meet launch demand.
Bowser’s comments, published today, were apparently recorded before Nintendo made the dramatic decision to delay US Switch 2 pre-orders due to the impact of tariffs.
Switch 2 will still launch on 5th June worldwide, including in the US, though fans there fear Nintendo may decide to increase the console’s price in response to the current global economic situation.
Earlier today, a Nintendo Korea leak revealed the return of an iconic location to Mario Kart World, which Nintendo has so far tried to keep under wraps.
