Nintendo does not offer discounts on its first-party games, and there is a good reason for that. The former U.S. head of Nintendo explains why this is the case.
Anyone who has a Nintendo Switch or now a Switch 2 and is often browsing the eShop will notice that the big flagship games from Nintendo (so-called “First Party” games) are rarely or never discounted: Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have hardly seen a discount even years after their release.
Reggie Fils-Aimé, former President and CEO of Nintendo of America, recently explained in an interview that Nintendo consciously refrains from such discount campaigns. And this has something to do with the company’s origins.
“We do not offer discounts on our games”
This is what Reggie Fils-Aimé says: The conversation took place as part of the NYU Game Center lecture series (via Twitch.com). Here, Fils-Aimé explained that Nintendo typically does not discount first-party games. The reason lies in the city of Kyoto: that’s where Nintendo is headquartered, and Kyoto is known for fine craftsmanship. And this is what Nintendo aligns itself with. He says (via WCCFTech.com):
Nintendo’s mentality is: We deliver a finished game. It is ready to play. There is no, well, day-one update that takes three hours. Part of that is a different mentality. That’s their mindset. I compare it to the idea of craftsmanship from Kyoto. The company is based in Kyoto. For those of you who are familiar with Japanese history: the old imperial capital and a city known for its fine craftsmanship – linens, porcelain, pottery – that’s Kyoto.
I am convinced that Nintendo as a company has exactly this mentality. We develop the best games, we release them with full functionality, and that’s what sometimes meets resistance from customers: We do not offer discounts on our games. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” has never received a discount since its release. There has never been a discount.
Occasionally, retailers may have their own promotions, but the company itself has never granted discounts. That is part of our process: We make the best of what we can, we release it with full functionality, and we ask for a fair price, and that price will never change.
So if you find a game like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild particularly cheap on Amazon or at your trusted electronics store, there is likely a special promotion from the seller behind it. Because Nintendo maintains that it does not want to offer any discounts.
The last months have seen many game developers losing their jobs. Overall, the gaming industry is struggling. However, Nintendo has been surprisingly successful for years, in contrast. Instead of trying out short-term trends, Nintendo relied on tried-and-true content and products: The gaming industry is shaken by layoffs, but Nintendo defies the crisis
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!