The Nintendo Switch 2 dropped in early June, sparking a global frenzy of purchases and gameplay. Nintendo's stock was already soaring pre-launch, hitting new highs and showcasing market confidence. So far, over 5 million units have been sold worldwide.
Nintendo held its 85th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on June 27, with the Q&A transcript released today (July 2). One of the biggest talking points? The newly launched Nintendo Switch 2's higher price tag, leaving many wondering: "Can kids still afford it?" Nintendo's president weighed in.
The Nintendo Switch 2's suggested retail price in Japan is 49,980 yen, making it the priciest Nintendo console to date. A shareholder directly asked, "This price is significantly higher than previous consoles like the Famicom. Won't it make it harder for children to access?"
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa responded, "I believe the Nintendo Switch 2's pricing is justified by the gaming experience it delivers. Our top priority is to provide players with an entertaining and engaging experience that makes them feel, 'This is truly worth it.' To achieve this, we've packed the Switch 2 with many new features."
"We're aware that the Switch 2 is more expensive than previous consoles," he continued. "However, we're also making Nintendo characters and game worlds accessible to children through other avenues, such as cartoons, toys, and theme park attractions. One of the goals of these initiatives is to eventually draw them to our consoles. Naturally, we're also paying close attention to whether the console's price becomes a barrier for children or families to experience Nintendo games."
Naturally, another shareholder followed up: "With the Switch 2's enhanced performance, development costs are skyrocketing. Will this lead to more expensive games, ultimately reducing the number of people who can access them?"
Furukawa acknowledged, "Game development cycles are getting longer, projects are growing in scale, and development costs are steadily rising. We understand that the gaming industry is inherently high-risk, and this trend only amplifies that risk."
He also mentioned Nintendo's internal efforts to boost development efficiency: "Achieving maximum efficiency with necessary investments is something we prioritize heavily. We also believe that even titles with shorter development periods can still amaze players, provided the creativity is strong enough."
Another shareholder inquired about the Switch 2's current "lottery sales" system, which restricts registration to Nintendo Account holders. "Why this specific design?" they asked.
President Furukawa explained, "The Nintendo Account system was established even before the first Switch launched, with the goal of building long-term relationships with our players. In the past, each console generation change often meant losing some of those player connections. This time, we want to avoid that, giving users who loved the original Switch priority access to purchase the Switch 2."
However, he added that this "lottery system" has received both positive and negative feedback, and Nintendo plans to make internal adjustments and improvements based on this experience.
For the full details of the shareholder Q&A, you can check out Nintendo's official document. It's clear that since the Switch 2's launch, many shareholders are keenly interested in Nintendo's strategy and future direction, with some even questioning current production capacity. However, based on Nintendo's responses, they remain quite optimistic about the Switch 2's future. Now, we'll just have to wait and see if upcoming games and peripherals deliver even more fun for players.
via： 日本任天堂官方網站