Launch the Switch at a Lower Price Than the PS4 Pro
Right now the company to beat is Sony. Yes, Microsoft has been making up a lot of lost ground, and the second half of this year will definitely have the Xbox brand in the limelight, but at the moment Sony has all the momentum. The company has a VR headset as well as two different versions of the PS4 console – the Slim (which is the new standard) and the Pro. The Pro, which is capable of 4K gaming, HDR, 4K media streaming, and is compatible with the PSVR headset all at $400 (plus tax, of course).
Based on what we’ve seen, chances are that the Switch doesn’t have all the same capabilities, and that’s just fine as long as they can beat it in price. Nintendo has a strong stable of games as well as newfound support from major devs, but that all means nothing if people don’t see a good deal. A sweet spot would be below the PS4 Pro, maybe even matching the current price of the Slim ($300). Of course, many would hope that it would be even cheaper with the $250 range looking mighty appealing. But the main goal is to get the Switch’s foot into the door without scaring anyone off.
In order to sell a massive amount of new games, Nintendo must first get the Switch into homes, and that’s what a competitive price point will do. It’s tough to find the perfect price, but the easy gauge is based on power. Pricing it below your more powerful competition is a no-brainer, but making sure it isn’t “too cheap” as to ward off people who become worried that its less than premium requires a more delicate approach. If the company can land on that perfect number, they can expect to watch the bucks roll in once March comes along.
