Hello and welcome to another entry in our “The Big Question” series, in which we present an argument to you, the Eurogamer community, for further interrogation. This week: are the new Mario Galaxy re-releases on Switch really too expensive?
We’ve become accustomed to things becoming cheaper over time, to the extent that it feels like a right. Don’t buy a car brand-new, fresh off the manufacturing line, wait for it to be traded in a year later and then buy it for huge savings. Who hasn’t scoured the sandwich chiller at the supermarket for a ropey wrap massively reduced in price because they are nearing their sell-by date? And I’m not sure there’s ever been a bigger moment in UK gaming than when Gamestation reduced the price of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to about £20, in December 2011, less than one month after the game was released. Things should get cheaper if you wait, right? Right? I’m not sure. Let’s say it’s complicated.
The examples above aren’t exactly equivalent – a slightly stale onion baji sandwich made three days ago isn’t the same as a car being driven for 8,000 miles (mainly motorway), I know. But I think the point should be somewhat clear. Games start at one price, then get cheaper, and cheaper, until they sell for pennies. Unless you are Nintendo.