Global Hardware 14 December 2019

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Slownenberg said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

Nintendo isn't going to cut the price of anything next year.  From a business perspective next year is pure gravy.  Switch sales rates are still increasing, and PS4 and XB1 sales are plummeting.  They are going to be competing against no one.  MK8, Zelda, and Smash Bros still have really good legs too at $60 each, and Pokemon is going to join that list.  It's all gravy.

They should probably cut the price in 2021 though.  

Depends on how sales are doing next year. I imagine next year will be Switch's peak year and it won't really have any competition, so price cut wouldn't make sense for most of the year unless they see sales start to slow mid-year. But price cut does make sense leading up to the launch of the new systems to keep the Switch as the must have video game item next holidays. Nintendo won't want to get drowned out by the excitement of two new systems, so they should definitely be making business moves at that point. A couple 10+ million sellers launching plus a price cut would put them in good position to maintain buyer excitement in the wake of new systems.

On the other hand maybe they'll just actually have discounts going on instead of an actual price cut next holiday. Could totally see Switch actually being given real BF deals and then holiday discounts and then Nintendo watches as 2021 progresses to see if they need a permanent price cut during first half of 2021.

Yeah, I think discounts and bundles are more likely for holiday 2020.  There really is not much point for Nintendo competing hardcore in 2020 anyway.  Systems always sell well during a holiday launch.  Even the Wii U sold well during its first holiday.  Switch isn't going to take sales away from anyone during holiday 2020 no matter how hard they compete.  Furthermore they don't need to compete next year, because they'll have too much momentum, i.e. huge library of games, people want the system their friend has, etc....

In 2021 is when the real competition starts.  A few months after the holidays we'll see which systems keep selling well and which ones need help (like from a price cut).