Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida has weighed in on the recent surge in game prices, sparked by Nintendo’s announcement that some Switch 2 titles will cost $80. He argues that the price hike was bound to happen sooner or later, regardless of Nintendo’s move, due to rising development costs and inflation.
Switch 2 was fully revealed on April 2, 2025, and launched games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Fans quickly noticed that Mario Kart World is priced at $80, making it the priciest Mario game ever.
In an interview with PlayStation Inside, Yoshida was asked about Nintendo’s decision to raise game prices. He said, “I think it was going to happen sooner or later, maybe not from Nintendo, but it was going to happen eventually.” He added, “We live in contrasting times, where inflation is real and major, but people expect games that are ever more ambitious and so expensive to develop to cost the same. It’s an impossible equation.”
Yoshida, who once led PlayStation Studios and later focused on indie games, emphasized that current video games demand more technology and resources than ever before, which drives up production costs. He noted that while publishers set prices, the core issue is the expense of making these games.
Following Nintendo’s price reveal, social media reacted with reactions, especially from GTA 6 fans worried about similar price hikes. Rumors about GTA 6’s cost and its delay to 2026 have fans bracing for a pricier experience.
