Nintendo warns: no plans to cut the price of the Switch this year

During this time, the video game industry was revolutionized by the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. However, there is less good news for fans. Nintendo: the company does not plan to reduce the price of the Switch this year.

The news was confirmed by statements by Shuntaro Furukawa, president of the Japanese company (via VGK). The stance is rather curious, given that Nintendo is coming from the close of a fiscal year in which Switch sales fell more than 20% year-on-year, and admitted that it expects them to continue to decline.

The truth is that cutting prices to try and give a global boost to console commercialization is not part of the strategy of those from Kyoto. According to the manager, production costs remain high, despite the fact that some components managed to become cheaper. He also assured that even if raw material prices fall, it will take time for the production of the console to become more economical.

“Production was hit hard during the previous fiscal year, so we made sure parts were purchased early enough to ensure stable production. […] We do not currently plan to reduce the price of our equipment during this fiscal year.Furukawa talked about the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo Switch will keep its price despite falling sales

In addition to justifying the decision not to cut the price of the Switch, which is now in its seventh year on the market, Nintendo assured that he doesn’t plan to upload it either. Although the company warned that the outlook for international business remains challenging, especially due to inflation and exchange rates.

“While we have no plans to raise prices [de la Nintendo Switch]The yen remains weak and acquisition costs remain high, so we will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo.

During fiscal year 2023, from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, 17.97 million Nintendo Switches were sold. This is a 22.1% decrease from FY 2022, when 23.06 million were sold. And the forecasts for FY 2024, which are already there, are not the best. The company plans to sell 15 million units of its console, which means a further drop of 16.5%. Although the Japanese themselves admitted that the rest of the goal is optimistic.

“Sustaining the pace of sales of the Nintendo Switch will be difficult for the seventh year. Our goal to sell 15 million units this fiscal year is a little over the top.. But we will do our best to increase demand before the holiday season so that we can meet the target,” Furukawa told investors.

With the decision not to cut prices until at least next year, the Nintendo Switch catalog continues to level off as follows:

• Nintendo Switch Lite: $199 (US) / €219 (Spain);
• Nintendo Switch: $299.99 (US) / €299.99 (Spain);
• Nintendo Switch OLED: $349.99 (US) / €349.99 (Spain).

Added to this are special editions of the OLED model dedicated to major game releases. Such cases platoon 3, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet And The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Typically, these variants, which boast an allegorical design but do not include the game in question, sell for an additional $10 per euro.

Of course there are bundles Nintendo Switch, which include games along with the console, but we’re already talking about more specific (and expensive) offerings that aren’t usually available in all regions.

As it were. Nintendo has already made it clear that its immediate plans do not include a price cut for the Switch.. Could the next one change the course of history? May be. It all depends on when his next console comes out, which is rumored to be announced no earlier than April 2024.