Nintendo has announced plans to charge less for its first-party digital games globally. The company revealed that starting with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, the MSRP for digital Nintendo Switch 2 games will be lowered.
In a press release published this week, Nintendo confirms that “new Nintendo-published digital titles exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 will have an MSRP that is different from physical versions.” On the Nintendo eShop, we can see that Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is now available for $84.99 digitally here in Canada. Meanwhile, a physical copy of the game is listed at the original $99.99 price. The game launches on May 21, 2026.
As of the Nintendo Switch 2 generation, the company began experimenting with charging a more premium $99.99 CAD for certain games. Mario Kart World was the first game to take this plunge. Recently, Pokémon Pokopia was also released at $99.99. In both cases, historically, there’s been no price discrepancy between a physical copy and a digital purchase.
To make matters clear, this is not a price hike for physical games. Instead, Nintendo is opting to charge less for first-party games sold digitally. The company confirms that both sales “offer the same experiences” and that the pricing change “simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format.” For instance, physical copies require the manufacturing of cartridges, box art, etc.
This news also arrives on the heels of reports that Nintendo is cutting Switch 2 production by 30 percent. The company is scaling back production from 6 million units to 4 million as US sales are weaker than expected. Although not directly tied, the news about price differentiation appears to be another cost-saving measure that can positively impact Nintendo’s bottom line.
It’s hard not to ignore that the change does feel like another hit for physical game collectors. Nintendo has continued to be a strong supporter of physical game sales. In many retail stores, you can still find a strong collection of games readily available for purchase. However, nowadays, many boxes only include game key cards, which unlock the license to download the game on Switch 2 hardware.
First-party Nintendo games rarely ever go on sale. So, offering digital games at a sizeable discount can also be a good alternative for those looking to save some money on new games.
Nintendo has confirmed that “retail partners set their own prices for physical and digital games.” So, prices may vary at big box stores like Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and EB Games in Canada.
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