Former Nintendo America president explains why the company doesn't give discounts on games: The Nintendo mentality is....

Nintendo rarely offers price cuts on its first-party games, and former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has explained the reasoning behind this approach. Speaking during an NYU Game Center lecture, Fils-Aime said the company’s pricing strategy is tied to how it develops and delivers its games, describing it as part of “the Nintendo mentality.” According to him, Nintendo focuses on releasing games as complete experiences from day one, which reduces the need for price reductions over time.



According to a report by GameSpot, at an NYU Game Center lecture, Fils-Aime said, "The Nintendo mentality is, we're shipping a game complete. It's ready to play. There's no day one update that's going to take three hours, and part of it is, it's a different mentality. That is their [Nintendo's] thinking. I liken this to the idea of Kyoto craftsmanship . The company is headquartered in Kyoto. A city known for its fine craftsmanship: linen, china, pottery, that is Kyoto. I'm convinced that Nintendo, as a company, has that same type of mentality. We are going to build the best games, we are going to send them out feature complete, and as a result--this is where sometimes customers push back--we don't discount our games."



How Nintendo’s pricing strategy is tied to long-term value



Fils-Aimé pointed to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as an example, noting that the title has largely maintained its original price since launch. The game continues to be listed at around $60 years after release, reflecting Nintendo’s approach of keeping pricing consistent for its own titles.



This model is the opposite of what is happening in the industry, where many publishers lower prices months after release to attract new buyers. But Nintendo treats its games as finished products that should retain their value over time.



Fils-Aimé also defended the strategy and said Nintendo could explore a change down the line. He said the company may benefit from adopting a more dynamic pricing model instead of being “beholden” to fixed price points.



Nintendo has already begun experimenting with changes, including price differences between digital and physical versions of games, starting with titles such as Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.


Nintendo has even tested high prices, such as an $80 price tag for games like “Mario Kart World” on new systems.


Although Fils-Aimé didn’t give exact time frames, his response indicates that, while Nintendo’s pricing strategy remains largely the same, it can vary as the gaming industry evolves.