The April 2 Nintendo Direct finally revealed some long-awaited news: the retail price of the Nintendo Switch 2 console, its hardware, and some of its launch titles, such asMario Kart World.Speculation about the price of theSwitch 2has been rampant since the console’s reveal earlier this year, with many speculating that it would be significantly more expensive than the original Switch and that its games would also increase in price compared to Switch games. The expected increase in price did come, and has led to further speculation that upcoming highly anticipated games such asGrand Theft Auto 6might be even more expensive than previously theorized.
Mario Kart World’s Price Seems To Indicate An Overall Increase
The Nintendo Switch 2 itself was revealed to cost $449.00, a significant increase over the Switch, which launched at $299.99 during its 2017 debut. It comes with a dock, twoJoy-Con controllersplus grips and straps, and multiple cables including HDMI and USB-C. Another option for people who wish to purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch is a bundle that includes a digital copy of launch titleMario Kart Worldin addition to everything that comes with the base version of the Switch 2. This bundle will sell for $499.00.
However,Mario Kart World,which will launch on June 5 alongside the Switch 2, will sell for significantly more than $50 it adds to the bundle. A digital copy of the game will retail for $80, while a physical copy will cost $90. The prices of other Nintendo Switch 2 launch titles, such as the Switch 2 editions ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom,were not confirmed, but are suspected to be similarly high. This is a fairly significant price jump compared to Switch games, which, as of 2025, typically cost $59.99.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Will Likely See A Similar Price Jump
The highly anticipatedGrand Theft Auto 6is another game that has seen much speculation about its launch price. Currently, the game, which is being developed by Rockstar Games and is the follow-up to 2013’sGrand Theft Auto 5,is speculated to launch in Q3 or Q4 of 2025, with a specific release date not yet revealed. Previously, a common launch price theorized for the game was $80, as it is a large, highly anticipated open world title from a major publisher. However, withMario Kart Worldgoing for $80 in its digital version, the initial price ofGrand Theft Auto 6could be even higher.
It is not impossible thatGrand Theft Auto 6could see a launch price of $90, $100, or perhaps even higher than that - a practically unprecedented cost for the Day One edition of a game that does not come with any physical bonuses. Earlier in 2025, what seemed to be a leaked pre-order listing forGrand Theft Auto 6suggested a price of $112, whichfinancial analyst Michael Pachtertold VideoGamesChronicle was a realistic possibility given the game’s scale, hype, and online component.
However,Mario Kart World’sprice of $79.99 / $89.99 may not in fact be the standard for every single Nintendo Switch 2 game going forward.Donkey Kong Bananza,which was announced at the end of the April 2 Direct, will sell for $69.99, a full ten dollars cheaper than Mario’s latest outing. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the rumors aboutGrand Theft Auto 6are unfounded, but it could lead to some hope thatMarioandGrand Theft Autowill be outliers rather than representing an overall major jump in the price of games. Ultimately, nothing will be confirmed until Rockstar revealsGrand Theft Auto’sprice - but, as things stand, a fairly high number would not be a huge surprise.
