Why is Super Mario Odyssey so expensive?
Super Mario Odyssey is one of Nintendo‘s biggest and most popular games on the Nintendo Switch. Despite being released in 2017, it remains a full-priced $59.99 on the Nintendo eShop and at most major retailers. There are several factors that contribute to why this game has maintained its high price point years after launch.
High Demand Keeps Prices Up
Super Mario Odyssey is one of the Nintendo Switch‘s top system-selling games. It has sold over 23 million copies as of September 2022, making it the 5th best selling Switch game behind titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The game‘s popularity and "evergreen" nature means demand has remained high even years after release. As long as people keep buying it at $59.99, Nintendo has no incentive to lower the price.
Limited Availability
Unlike multi-platform games, Nintendo titles are exclusive to Nintendo platforms. Super Mario Odyssey can only be played on the Nintendo Switch. This limitation keeps supply lower than multi-platform games available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
Limited availability enables Nintendo to maintain higher prices over a longer period. When supply is constrained, prices stay inflated due to high demand.
Nintendo Rarely Discounts First-Party Games
Nintendo is notorious for rarely discounting the prices of its first-party games. While other publishers discount games after 6-12 months, Nintendo games hold their value for much longer.
For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released alongside the Switch in 2017, still retails for $59.99 on the eShop. Nintendo‘s evergreen franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Animal Crossing retain popularity and value years after launch.
Development Costs Are Amortized Over Time
While the exact budget for Super Mario Odyssey is unknown, large 3D Mario games cost upwards of $100 million to develop. Nintendo amortizes these costs over the many years that first-party games continue selling at a premium price point.
This contrasts with most publishers that slash prices after the first few months to maximize sales before interest wanes. Nintendo games sell steadily for years, enabling them to recoup costs while keeping prices high.
No In-Game Monetization
Unlike many modern games, Super Mario Odyssey does not rely on in-game purchases, loot boxes, season passes or other monetization methods. The $59.99 upfront cost is the only cost to access everything in the game.
The lack of additional monetization provides incentive for Nintendo to maintain the highest possible base game price to increase overall revenue.
Component Shortages
Recent global semiconductor shortages have constrained Switch production and intensified demand. When supply is limited, Nintendo can keep prices high without worrying about overstocking.
Once component shortages ease and Nintendo can produce enough Switch units to meet demand, we may see marginal discounts on evergreen software like Super Mario Odyssey to boost hardware sales.
Physical Retailers Keep Prices High
Digital storefronts provide more flexibility for game pricing, while physical retailers are slower to enact price changes. Having Super Mario Odyssey widely available at $59.99 on store shelves makes it harder for Nintendo to lower the digital price.
Maintaining price parity between physical and digital helps keep retailers happy. But it also restricts Nintendo‘s ability to discount older digital titles.
Super Mario Odyssey‘s continued $59.99 price can seem overly expensive for a 5+ year old game. However, Nintendo‘s exclusive franchises have incredible staying power. Constrained supply, strong demand, and few discounts keep prices high years after launch. While consumers may want cheaper games, Nintendo‘s business strategy indicates premium pricing for first-party exclusives is here to stay.