I see many complain about Nintendo for the simple fact that it is more expensive in Brazil. Since Nintendo since the time of WII U has officially left Brazil. Nowadays it is only possible to purchase imported products with high taxes. Are Nintendo consoles, games and products even more expensive in Brazil?
People who argue this, complain that the price of the new Nintendo Switch console costs more than 2000 BRL and that games exceed 60 USD. In fact, some retailers and importers are taking advantage of the scarcity and lack of Nintendo in Brazil to profit, but only those people pay this amount.
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The values are the same as the competition
When it comes to sales in physical and official stores, the values of Nintendo games and console are the same values as a PS4 and XONE. In any big store in my city like American ones, both the xone and ps4 are on sale for absurd 2000 reais, even though they only cost 200 $.
One day I went to see the prices of PS4 controls in an American store, it was absurd 500 reais. I told the shopkeeper that that control on the American stores website was at 220, but he didn't believe it. I come to the conclusion that many people are cheated in big stores like these. Buying over the internet is much more advantageous.
Not to mention the games that are sold at launch prices years later. I look in the window of American stores and I only see games over 40 USD. Of course, there are constant promotions that leave both the console and games at the equivalent price on the internet.
The Nintendo Switch, on the other hand, really has absurd prices in these stores, but it was already possible to find the console for less than 2000. It was to be impossible, since the PS4 arrived in Brazil for 4,000 reias, and the country was not even broke as it is today.
Some argue that the prices of Switch games are more expensive than the competition. Prices are the same, the difference is that Nintendo does not do as many weekly promotions as PSN and LIVE. Something logical, since the console is new and the library is small. The 3DS with its giant library shows that Nintendo usually promotes when it has a lot to sell.
Nintendo's actual prices
I bought the Nintendo Switch 2 months after its launch for only 1600 reais. Something that was almost impossible with the competition at its launch, even though it mattered. Unfortunately Brazil sucks, the console should only be worth 1000 BRL using the 300 dollar conversion. Except that shopkeepers need to profit, of course!
Games can be obtained digitally for just 170 BRL on their release date. All this, because nintendo allows you to change the country of the account and buy in cheaper places. Something totally impossible on PSN, where you would have to create a new account.
I buy physical media the week of the launch for about 230 to 250 BRL in Brazil, importers in the free market. Of course, you have to get the contacts in Facebook groups, since ordinary free market sellers usually charge more. The free market also charges a high fee for selling new products.
I pay about 30 BRL more including shipping for a Nintendo launch game, I don't really see it as expensive.
Make no mistake, Nintendo is expensive
As much as Nintendo is not as expensive as people say, there is no use deluding yourself, it is still expensive. This is because there is little circulation of consoles and games in Brazil, which makes shopkeepers stick the knife. Even though smart people can buy their products at a cheaper price, unfortunately many without knowledge end up paying dearly.
I believe that things will improve over time, especially with the amount of games increasing on the console. This means promotions, lower prices and other good things for consumers.
Some dream of Nintendo's return to Brazil, believing that this will improve prices. I don't think so, since at the time of the WII, I didn't know anyone who owned the console. At the time of WII U, just before Nintendo left Brazil, the prices of its games were already more expensive than the competition.
Make no mistake, thinking that Nintendo's return to Brazil will improve things, the games will continue to be expensive and you will continue to buy in the gray market. Smart consumers of PS4 and XONE don't waste their money buying games from official stores. Brazil and its taxes tool any product, whether national or imported!
