Nintendo: The First to Hike Game Prices – and the Greediest?

In the world of gaming, Nintendo has long been seen as the “wholesome” company—family-friendly, charming, and nostalgic, with beloved characters like Mario and Zelda. But behind that friendly façade lies a harsher truth: Nintendo was the first company to raise game prices to excessive levels, even before other major publishers followed suit.

A Pioneer... in Greed?

Before Sony and Microsoft increased the prices of next-gen games to $70 with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, Nintendo was already charging high prices—without offering next-gen technology or graphics. Despite the Switch being far behind in terms of raw power and visual fidelity, Nintendo felt justified in pricing its games on par with more advanced platforms.

Worse Than the Price Hike? Never Dropping It

The real shock isn’t just the price increase—it’s that Nintendo never lowers its prices. A game like Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released in 2017, still sells for full price. That means Nintendo continues to profit from old titles as if they were brand new, indefinitely.

Bottom Line: Who Holds Nintendo Accountable?

Being the first to push game prices upward—without offering major technical improvements—has led many gamers to view Nintendo as a symbol of greed in the gaming industry. And with every new $70 release, it becomes clearer: the "magic of childhood" Nintendo sells now comes at a steep—and arguably heartless—price.