Now that an official release date has been set - March 3rd, 2017 - for the Nintendo Switch, a lot more details are online following the major presentation earlier in the week.
One of the key points about the Switch is the price point, which Nintendo have tentatively set at $299. Here in Ireland, Smyths Toys currently lists the Switch at €329.99, but for the purposes of this article, we're taking the US price into consideration.
IGN analysed the original launch price of other consoles and adjusting for inflation, the Switch came out as the fourth cheapest console ever made. In fact, two out of the three consoles cheaper than the Switch are made by Nintendo as well.
The GameCube launched in 2001 at a price of $199. Adjusted for inflation, it comes out at $270.64 whilst the next cheapest - the Sega Dreamcast - was priced similarly in 1999. However, when we factor inflation, it's at $287.69. The Wii, which was third on the list, originally shipped in 2006 for $249. At today's prices, the Wii would just $1.52 more expensive.
The most expensive games console - to date, anyway - is 1993's 3DO, which launched at a price of $699. In today's prices, that'd be $1,165.
Where the Switch becomes expensive, however, is in the peripherals. According to Smyths, the JoyCon Switch Pair is retailing for €89.99 whilst the Switch Pro Controller is listed at €79.99. The Nintendo Switch comes with a controller that can be split it into two controllers, but if players want to expand out to four-player mode, a second JoyCon is needed.
Breath Of The Wild is listed at €64.99, which is the average price for a game nowadays on launch. So, the question is, will you be investing in a Nintendo Switch?
Let us know in the comments!
