Nintendo has announced that starting in May, digital versions of games it releases exclusively for the Switch 2 will have a different price tag than the physical version.
The company shared the news on its official website on March 25. Beginning with preorders for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, a side-scrolling platformer that launches on May 21, digital Nintendo Switch 2 games “will have a [Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price] that is different from physical versions.” This means that, from May onward, any Nintendo game that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 will have two difference prices between the digital and physical versions.
“Nintendo games offer the same experiences whether in packaged or digital format, and this change simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format and offers players more choice in how they can buy and play Nintendo games,” the company said in the news release. “As always, retail partners set their own prices for physical and digital games, and pricing for each title may vary.”
Yoshi and the Myterious Book is $60 to preorder on the eShop, while stores like GameStop, Best Buy, and Target either don’t have it available for purchase or don’t have the pricing on their sites. However, if you click the dropdown menu on the eShop store page for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, you’ll see that digital goes for $60 and physical sells for $70. It’s unclear if there will always be a $10 difference between the two versions, but you can seemingly expect Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive games to run your wallet at different price points depending on the version you’re seeking.
We won’t have to wait too much longer to learn how Nintendo’s new pricing strategy will affect its exclusives going forward. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book hits Nintendo Switch 2 on May 21.