A look at why some Nintendo Switch carts cost more than their multiplatform counterparts

Rime set the bar

So we’re starting to get to the point where there are multiplatform releases on the Switch, and its prospects aren’t looking good in the price department. As one of the first third-party developers to announce its physical pricepoint, Tequila Works recently confirmed that the price of a Switch cart will be $10 above a disc on PS4 or Xbox One. For prospective Switch buyers that kind of sucks, especially since the eShop is priced for parity (to not piss off retailers) and doesn’t offset the cost of manufacturing.

Tequila Works, when questioned, and likely held by Nintendo NDA, simply stated, “We set prices for our products based on the costs of development and publishing for each specific platform.” According to sources at Eurogamer, at the moment, the wide array of Switch carts (1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB) are to blame, especially the high capacity ones. Allegedly they cost more than a Blu-ray (it makes sense, but we don’t have hard numbers).

It also makes sense why so many developers are then going with digital-only releases on the Switch, to keep their prices inline with other platforms — see Snake Pass, which is hitting the Switch and several other marketplaces. Pundits expect this trend to end over time as the carts go down in price and development/manufacturing is more manageable, but for now, it’s a thing to be aware of if you’re choosing Switch over other platforms for specific games.

Why Nintendo Switch games are ending up more expensive [Eurogamer]