While the gameplay reveal ofMario Kart Worldgenerated a lot of excitement, the price tag is creating a lot of controversy —Mario Kart Worldwill retail at $80 for the digital edition, and the internet is not happy about it. Even worse for a lot of fans, the physical version may be even more expensive. Needless to say, the reaction to the hefty price increase from the previous Nintendo Switch has been anything but positive, and this may be a prelude to what’s to come for game prices in the future.
On a Reddit post byTurbostrider27, fans are expressing their intense dislike of the price tag in the replies, witha lot of speculation that the high price is designed to get people to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 bundle, whichcomes withMario Kart Worldand the new console for $499. Some users noted that the price tag is a bit ridiculous and that not all Switch 2 games will cost $80, withDonkey Kong Bananzalisted for $70.
User BugsMax1 also notes that the price tag on the popular IP may be testing to see how much money people are willing to pay, saying: “I think they’re trying to test the waters and see how far they can push people"and calling the pricing from Nintendo “absolutely disgusting and greedy behaviour.”
Unfortunately, It May Be Even More Than $80
The Physical Edition May Be Pricer Than The Digital Edition
While the digital version ofMario Kart Worldwill be $80, the physical version of the game could be even more expensive. According to the SpanishNintendo Store(text in Spanish), the physical version ofMario Kart Worldwill be €89.99, or about $97 USD. It remains to be seen if that price tag will affect other regions or if it is solely Spain and possibly other European regions.Donkey Kong Bananzais listed for €69.99 for the digital version and €79.99 for the physical version, soit appears the pricing is currently on a case-by-case basis.
WithGrand Theft Auto 6rumored and speculated to cost more than current games, maybe even $100,there seems to be a lot of concern regarding the newly announced pricing ofMario Kart World. As the Nintendo Switch 2 costing more than most probably expected, that concern may be justified for a lot of people.
Our Take: The Hefty Price Is A Huge Risk
Different Prices For Digital And Physical Games Could Set A Trend
The price tag forMario Kart Worldis a sizable risk. The reaction to the price increases of this console generation for most games was controversial already, buta digital version of a game to cost $80 and potentially even more for the physical release is unprecedentedand could set a trend of more expensive games moving forward, depending on how successful the game ends up being.
Mario Kart 9 Is Actually Mario Kart World, Launching Exclusively On Nintendo Switch 2
Mario Kart World will feature a world of new courses and 24 racers per race and it will debut on the Nintendo Switch 2 as a day 1 release.
No matter the case, the gut reactions to this pricing model are predominantly negative so far, and customers are sure to voice their stance on the price with their wallets whenMario Kart Worldreleases alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5.
