The Nintendo Switch 2017 Presentation on Jan. 12, in which more details regarding the upcoming hybrid console will be revealed, is still several weeks away. While waiting for more information to be released by Nintendo regarding the Nintendo Switch, rumors and speculations are running rampant for the details that are still unknown for the device.
Garnering perhaps the most amount of speculation among the unknown specifics of the Nintendo Switch, however, is the price tag that Nintendo will attach to the hybrid console.
The Importance Of The Nintendo Switch Price
The price tag of the Nintendo Switch will largely dictate how competitive the hybrid console will be in the video game industry that is largely dominated by Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One.
When Nintendo launched the Wii U in 2012, it had a price tag of $350. That price is $100 more than the original price of the Wii and was only $50 less compared to the PlayStation 4, which was launched the following year. Its price tag was one of the reasons of the console's struggles, with Nintendo now ending its production as it focuses on the Nintendo Switch.
What Could The Nintendo Switch Price Be At Launch?
If Nintendo wants to make a splash in the video game industry that it once dominated, it will have to take into consideration the price points of the consoles that it will compete against. Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro carries a $400 price tag, with the PlayStation 4 Slim going for $300. The Xbox Ones can also be purchased for $300, though the price of Project Scorpio, the next console of Microsoft, has not yet been revealed. Meanwhile, the New Nintendo 3DS, the latest handheld console of the company, is being sold for $200.
The price of the Nintendo Switch should be within these price ranges to be competitive. It will likely not launch at $400, as it could not be placed in the same line as the much more powerful PlayStation 4 Pro. Launching at the original price tag of $350 for the Wii U might not be a good idea as well, as the Nintendo Switch could then follow in the failed footsteps of the now defunct console.
As such, it is widely speculated that the Nintendo Switch will have a price tag of $300 upon launch, a figure that might be enough to make it a serious competitor.
Nintendo Switch For $250?
There have been indications, however, that Nintendo could be aiming for a bigger splash by pricing the Nintendo Switch as low as $250.
It was reported that the Canadian website of Toys 'R' Us used a placeholder price of $329.99 CAD for the Nintendo Switch, which is equivalent to about $244. Placeholder listings do not necessarily state the actual price of upcoming products, but there are speculations that Nintendo has already sent out price information to retailers in advance of the release of the hybrid console.
Another rumor indicated that the Nintendo Switch will have a price tag of only $260, with a $300 bundle including the new Super Mario game and a $340 bundle including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a Pro controller.
Nintendo Switch Release Date
The Nintendo Switch will be released in March 2017, though its price tag will be revealed two months before that. With the hype surrounding the hybrid console though, fans should hope that Nintendo would be able to keep up with the expected demand for the device.
