On Thursday morning, Nintendo entertained fans with a new Nintendo Direct livestream, this time focusing on the much-anticipated Mario Kart World. As the leading launch title for the forthcoming Switch 2 console, the game has been stirring up significant excitement. However, one question persists in the discussion: Why does Mario Kart World come with an $80 price tag?

Historically, $60 has been the typical price for major video games. Even with some recent AAA releases reaching $70, the adjustment received varied reactions. Thus, when Nintendo revealed an $80 price for Mario Kart World, fans understandably raised eyebrows. The company indicated that the latest Direct would clarify the cost, implying that once players witnessed the game firsthand, the price would seem more justifiable.

Having watched the livestream and experienced the game for myself, I’m not entirely sure Nintendo clearly explained the higher cost. But on reflection, I’ve started to think that the price might not require traditional justification. With ongoing trade tariffs and no pre-orders for the Switch 2 yet available in the U.S., Nintendo may be confronting wider economic challenges.

Mario Kart World’s Price May Indicate More Than Just Its Features

After the recent Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo spokespeople defended the $80 price by emphasizing the extensive content in Mario Kart World. And to be fair, the game does seem to deliver a lot.

It showcases a vast open world bursting with hundreds of optional challenges, a variety of unlockable costumes, new tracks, and rich multiplayer modes—both locally and online. There are also innovative social features like webcam integration. Clearly, Mario Kart World is a substantial game, potentially offering countless hours of gameplay. From this perspective, the $80 price begins to appear a bit more reasonable—though it doesn’t necessarily make it easier to accept.

However, there’s a larger context to consider. For more than ten years, the prices of video games have remained surprisingly consistent, even as game development expenses have soared. In other sectors, costs have progressively risen. Remember when you could grab a week’s worth of Taco Bell for $20? Those days are long gone.

In fact, gamers have arguably benefited from a bargain for years. The expense of creating a blockbuster game in the 4K era is immense. While game studios often keep budgets secret, a 2023 data leak revealed that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PS5 had development costs near $300 million. Additionally, development times are now longer than ever, which further elevates labor costs.

It’s also notable that while other companies like PlayStation have resorted to layoffs due to rising expenses, Nintendo has largely avoided large-scale job cuts. The company has a history of valuing job security—even former CEO Satoru Iwata once halved his own salary to protect jobs. If sustaining that approach results in slightly higher game prices, some fans might accept the trade-off.

Is $80 the New Standard?

Even with all this context, $80 is still quite a bit to pay for a video game—especially in challenging economic conditions. Many fans are questioning why Mario Kart World, and exclusively this game so far, carries such a high price. For families already grappling with increased costs for necessities like food and housing, this kind of pricing can seem disconnected.

This leads us to a larger concern: wages. In the U.S., wages have not kept up with inflation or productivity. The Economic Policy Institute states that the federal minimum wage in 2022 held less value than at any time in nearly seven decades. While worker productivity has surged by 74 percent over the last forty years, wages have only increased by 9 percent. In contrast, during the post-WWII era, wages and productivity rose together.

In essence, everything is becoming more costly—but most individuals aren’t earning more.

This is a systemic problem that extends well beyond the gaming sector. However, it does help clarify why an $80 video game comes as such a surprise. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve shifted from deeming the price excessive to reluctantly accepting it.

You’re completely entitled to be annoyed by the $80 price of Mario Kart World—I still am. However, it’s likely not the last time we’ll see a game debut at this price. Ultimately, it will be up to gamers to determine whether it’s worth it by choosing whether to purchase or not.

This article reflects the author’s opinion and does not necessarily represent the views of Mashable or its parent company, Ziff Davis.