There is a prevailing sentiment in the gaming community that if a title carries enough prestige, developers can effectively name their own price. But does this logic apply to the Pokémon franchise? With its sprawling empire of video games, high-value merchandise, and lucrative licensing deals, the series operates on a scale that dwarfs Grand Theft Auto. Given that collectors routinely shell out more for a single rare card than the cost of a full retail game, Pokémon seems like the prime candidate for a bold pricing strategy.
Speculation regarding a potential price hike reached a fever pitch recently after a prominent leaker known as Centro ignited a firestorm on social media. In early July, the account published what it claimed were internal documents originating from the 2024 Game Freak data breach. These files allegedly included sensitive development roadmaps, design documents, and financial internal audits.
According to Centro, The Pokémon Company has actively explored strategies to encourage players to purchase both versions of each new generation. While the franchise’s “dual-version” model has historically been justified as a way to foster social interaction, it’s no secret that the company stands to gain significantly from multi-unit sales. If the leaked documents hold water, the strategy is already working; an alleged 50% of players opted to buy both Pokémon Ultra Sun and Moon.
Centro further alleged that executives had considered breaking the $60 price ceiling as far back as Sword and Shield, only to be held back by market standards in North America at the time.
News of a potential price increase has frustrated many fans, particularly given the technical shortcomings of recent entries. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were plagued by performance issues that rendered them borderline unplayable at launch, and the franchise has faced persistent criticism for aging graphical fidelity and the baffling absence of voice acting after three decades of dominance.
“I’d bet on an $80 physical price point,” one skeptical fan remarked, while another added, “I deal with this corporate greed all the time—it’s exhausting.”
Image: Game Freak/Nintendo
With hardware and software costs rising across the entire industry, tempers are short. However, it is vital to note that the documents cited by Centro are dated artifacts from 2018. They represent internal brainstorming sessions for Sword and Shield—specifically targeting the Japanese market—rather than a confirmed roadmap for the upcoming Pokémon Winds and Waves.
While Pokémon Winds and Waves currently lack a firm release date, the broader economic climate—including the global component crisis—means that an $80 price tag for future Nintendo titles is no longer outside the realm of possibility; we have already seen this threshold crossed with games like Mario Kart World. Still, for now, there is no evidence to suggest that the next generation of Pokémon will deviate from standard pricing.
