The Nintendo Switch Pro is seemingly one of the worst kept secrets from the Nintendo community at the moment. It seems like with every new day there's new leaks or speculation on the rumored upgrade to Nintendo's highly popular hybrid console. Whether it's news that Samsung is producing the system's OLED screen, or that it will have Nvidia tech capable of putting out 4K graphics, it seems like one of the only things missing about the Switch Pro is an official announcement. For all of the rumors on the Switch Pro, there is one thing that still remains a mystery, and that's the console's price.
Nintendo has yet to join Sony or Microsoft in creating a "Pro" version of one of its consoles, and the company's hesitation is understandable. One of the many concerns around upgraded consoles is if the enhanced hardware will justify the higher price point. By the same note, however, undervaluing a console could be just as damaging. There will likely be fans that would gladly jump at the opportunity to have a Switch Pro comparable in price to the current Switch, but it could be a detriment to Nintendo in the long run.
The Consequences of Undervaluing a Switch "Pro"
A Nintendo Switch "Pro" that is relatively inexpensive compared to the original console would certainly excite some consumers, but in the long run it could prove to be more damaging to the console. Compared to Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo has mostly stood on its own when it comes to hardware. The company focuses less on delivering a robust graphical experience, and more on developing memorable, exclusive software to bring gamers in. This approach has mostly benefited Nintendo, but making a Switch Pro could break this perception a bit.
If the Switch Pro really plans to deliver 4K graphics with a more powerful processor, it would suddenly find itself in the ring, or at least standing outside of the ring, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Properly pricing the console would likely sway gamers that had to choose between one console, and a low pricing could end up making the Pro seem underpowered. The lowest that the Switch Pro could go in order to avoid this would likely fall around $399.99, which would make it comparable to the digital-only version of the PS5.
One of the biggest issues that the Switch Pro would run into if it was underpriced would ultimately come from first-time adopters of the portable Nintendo console. If the Pro sits around $349.99, and the normal Switch is $299.99, some families that are just looking for "a Switch" without any real preference would likely jump at the cheaper option first. With how family-friendly the Nintendo Switch has proven to be, missing out on this market could severely damage sales. Although the Switch would continue to sell, a price point that doesn't reach at least a hundred dollars more than the current Switch would make a Pro seem redundant.
The Hardware Paradox
New consoles are expensive, and if the newest Playstation and Xbox are any indication, prices are only going to get more expensive as time goes on. This is indicative of two things; the first being the simple fact that more impressive consoles are more expensive to produce, and that most companies sell hardware for a loss when the systems first launch. This has been most closely followed with the PS5, as the cost to produce one of those consoles is more than the actual console is selling for. This begs the question, how do companies like Sony and Microsoft even make money off of consoles?
The answer can simply be put in terms of software. Without games to play, the console becomes nothing more than a glorified Netflix machine. This is where companies make the bulk of their money, because with one console comes dozens upon dozens of software purchases. Microtransactions have proven to be particularly profitable, which partially explains why so many games have been incorporating them. For Nintendo, it would be about finding that sweet spot where they maintain as low of a loss as possible while still being able to drive software sales.
If reports are to be believed, the Samsung OLED screen and Nvidia tech that the Switch Pro will have probably won't come cheap to Nintendo. If the costs are anywhere near comparable to that of the PS5, then a price point of $399.99 might end up being too low for the company. Especially if the console isn't received well by consumers, no amount of Switch Pro exclusives would be able to recoup the losses. And the last thing that Nintendo would want to do is aggravate fans by hiking the price up post-launch in order to compensate.
What About the Switch Lite?
With all of this talk about the Switch Pro and how it will compare to the standard Nintendo Switch, the baby brother of the Switch family, the Nintendo Switch Lite often gets left out of the conversation. The console has proven to be a decent success for Nintendo, as it appeals to those that prefer to game on the go, or simply want a slightly less expensive alternative. Although the Switch Pro would be leaps and bounds ahead of the Switch Lite, there is still something to be learned from the console.
The Switch Lite currently retails for $199.99, making it a whole hundred dollars cheaper than the Nintendo Switch. The console is basically a more simple Switch, so by these terms the pricing makes sense. For the Switch Pro, the messaging will likely be that it is a more complicated Switch, and one of the major ways to legitimize that would be through the price. Anything less than $299.99 would likely wouldn't justify any semblance of it being an "upgrade." A more sophisticated experience should not be cheaper than the base version of a console, let alone comparable to that of the cheapest model.
If and/or when Nintendo decides to pull back the curtain on the Switch Pro, it will be interesting to see just how much the console is intended to sell for. Now that consoles are reaching into the five hundred dollar range, a decision must be made with future systems from here on out. Will companies like Nintendo try to meet that number and get the most money out of one unit, or will console makers undercut that price in order to seem like the more affordable choice? Each option has its benefits, but until the Nintendo Switch Pro is made official, it will all remain speculation.
The Nintendo Switch Pro is reportedly in development.