Did a simple announcement reveal a major secret about the Nintendo Switch 2?
Jay Peters, a senior tech and gaming reporter, dives into a recent slip-up that has the gaming world buzzing. On Friday, ININ Games, a publisher specializing in retro and arcade games, made a surprising announcement. They revealed they could "recalculate production" for a physical version of R-Type Dimensions III on the Switch 2, citing Nintendo's supposed announcement of two new, smaller cartridge sizes. But here's where it gets controversial: this information was quickly retracted.
ININ Games swiftly corrected their statement, clarifying that Nintendo hadn't officially announced any new cartridge sizes. They emphasized that any previous mention of specific storage sizes was not official information. Despite this correction, they still planned to release the physical version, albeit with a €10 price increase.
Why the initial claim and subsequent retraction?
Official details are scarce, but the cost seems to be a significant factor. In May, a Brazilian Nintendo journalist, based on leaks, reported that Nintendo offered developers only two options: a 64GB cartridge or game-key cards. The YouTube channel Physical Paradise estimates the cost of a physical cartridge to be around $16, which is quite expensive. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad echoed this on X, stating that cost is the primary reason for key cards over full-cartridge releases.
But what about the future?
It remains uncertain how much more affordable these new cartridge sizes might be or why Nintendo would offer them now. Joost van Dreunen, a games professor at New York University, suggests it could be due to rising memory costs. He believes Nintendo might be anticipating future price increases, allowing them to offer more reasonable prices, especially for third-party games.
What do you think?
Do you have any insights into the actual costs of Switch 2 cartridges? Share your thoughts in the comments! You can also reach out to Jay Peters directly at jay.peters@theverge.com or via Signal @jaypeters.11.
