Shawn Layden has expressed his support for the anticipated price hikes of games for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, arguing that such increases should have been instituted with each generation of consoles. He points out that when adjusted for inflation, video game prices have remained relatively stable since 1999, indicating that gamers have been paying less than they should for their entertainment over the years.
Many Nintendo fans have reacted negatively to the news that new titles on the Switch 2 may be more expensive than their predecessors. However, Layden, a former high-ranking executive at Sony and president of Sony Computer Entertainment, believes the industry has delayed these price adjustments for too long.
He suggests that instead of imposing a significant increase all at once, the gaming sector should have gradually raised prices by about $5 with each new console generation. With a career at Sony spanning over three decades, Layden brings a wealth of experience to his analysis.
He began his journey with the company in 1987 and rose through the ranks, eventually serving as president before departing in 2019. In a recent appearance on the Player Driven YouTube channel, Layden commented on Nintendo’s decision to set front-line games at a price point of $80, suggesting that Nintendo’s strategy is a bold move that reflects the realities of game production costs.
While he acknowledges that current economic conditions may make such prices hard for consumers to accept, he reminds audiences that the cost of developing games has been rising significantly faster than retail prices. Layden also noted that Nintendo’s effective protection of its first-party titles allows the company to implement higher prices more easily than competitors like Sony and Microsoft, reinforcing the idea that iconic franchises such as Mario and Zelda are best experienced on Nintendo’s platforms.
This perspective contrasts sharply with Microsoft’s increasing openness to cross-platform play, suggesting a differing approach to game accessibility in the evolving market.