April 11th 2025.
Minecraft has become a massive phenomenon, with its popularity soaring higher than ever before. Even the Friday letters page is buzzing with discussions about the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, as one reader expresses their concern that it may not live up to expectations. With the summer showcases approaching, there is a fear that they may end up being a disappointment.
If you want to join in on the discussions, you can email the console to PC and share your thoughts. But for now, let's take a break from all the Nintendo Switch 2 talk. I recently watched the Minecraft movie with my kids, and let me tell you, it was exactly what you'd expect from a movie based on a video game. It wasn't great, but then again, neither was the Super Mario Bros. movie. It seems like no matter how amazing certain games are on TV, video game movies just can't seem to hit the mark.
However, that doesn't stop them from making tons of money. When I went to see the movie, the cinema was packed with overexcited teens, younger kids, and bemused parents. I can't say much about the movie itself since most of it just washed over me, but I did appreciate Jack Black's humorous take on his role. I went to see the movie with my cousin and his kids, and I couldn't help but notice that our kids got into a little argument about which platform is better for playing Minecraft. My kids were teased for playing it on the Switch, while my cousin's kids insisted that it was superior on PC. And to my surprise, I found out later that Minecraft isn't even available on Steam, which explains why it never shows up on the charts.
If it was available, I have no doubt that it would be the number one game. I recently discovered that you can get a free trial of Minecraft on the Microsoft website, and it looks like my kids are going to switch to playing the PC version now. It's a sign of the times, I suppose.
Moving on to the topic at hand, it really feels like the Nintendo Switch 2 is falling apart before it even gets a chance to launch. It's been over a week, and we still don't know the prices for half of the games or the upgrades. Some countries seem to have an idea, but Europe is left in the dark. Why are we still waiting for this information? What is Nintendo waiting for? It's frustrating for fans who are eagerly anticipating the console's release.
The confusion around the Switch 2 Edition games is particularly concerning, with different stories floating around and no clear answer from Nintendo. And now, we find out that you have to pay for the DLC for Zelda: Breath of the Wild separately, on top of the already expensive price tag. Why is this information only coming out now? It seems like Nintendo is actively trying to create a steady stream of bad news. Are they taking marketing advice from Sony?
Let's be realistic, if Nintendo were to delay the Switch 2 Direct due to uncertainty about tariffs, it wouldn't be for just a day or a week. It would be an indefinite delay. The American import tariffs are causing chaos, and with a 90-day pause announcement for everywhere but China, it looks like Americans may have to wait three to six months before the console is available to them.
Now, onto the issue of third party prices. With all the confusion surrounding the prices for Nintendo's own games, we still haven't heard anything about third party prices. And that's a problem. Who is going to buy a two-year-old game like Elden Ring on the Switch 2 for £70 when it can be purchased for a third of the price on other consoles and PC? Sure, there may be some people who only own a Switch and are interested in these big, complex games, but I have my doubts. And this could spell more bad news for Nintendo if every low effort port is priced at £60+.
On a lighter note, I couldn't help but chime in on the discussion about the best looking consoles. Personally, I believe the European Mega Drive takes the crown. Its sleek black design, complete with an earphone jack and volume knob, is simply stunning. And to think, it even looks better than the Japanese version! As for my top five best looking consoles of all time, I would have to say the PC Engine, Japanese/European SNES, PS one, Neo-Geo, and Mega Drive I. But then again, it's hard to choose when there are so many consoles that are just a black slab.
Minecraft has become quite the phenomenon, hasn't it? I was reading through the Friday letters page and saw some concerns about the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Apparently, one reader is worried that it's not going to live up to expectations and will end up disappointing fans. If you want to join in on the discussion, you can email them at the provided address.
Speaking of Nintendo Switch 2, let's take a break from that for a second. I recently took my kids to see the Minecraft movie and to be honest, it was exactly what I expected - not great. But let's not forget the infamous Super Mario Bros. movie. It seems like no matter how good video games are on TV, they just can't seem to make a good movie adaptation.
But that doesn't stop them from making a ton of money, as I saw firsthand at the packed cinema. It was filled with overexcited teens, younger kids, and a lot of confused parents. I can't really say much about the movie itself, it was just what you would expect. Although I did appreciate Jack Black's lack of seriousness in his role, which made it more bearable to watch.
Interestingly, when I went to see the movie with my cousin and his kids, I noticed a little rivalry between them and my own kids. They were arguing about which platform was better to play Minecraft on - console or PC. It seems my kids were getting teased for playing it on the Switch while the others were adamant that PC was the superior choice. I later found out that the game isn't even available on Steam, which explains why it's not on those charts. But if it were, I have no doubt it would be the number one game.
In fact, I just discovered that you can get a free trial of Minecraft on the Microsoft website. Looks like my kids will be switching over to the PC version now. It's just a sign of the times, I suppose.
Moving on to the topic of the Nintendo Switch 2, it seems like things are getting a bit messy. It's been over a week and we still don't know the prices of some of the games and upgrades. And it's not just America that's in the dark, even Europe is being left in the dark. Why the secrecy? Why keep fans in the dark and cause confusion and frustration? And the whole situation with the Switch 2 Edition games is just adding fuel to the fire. Everyone seems to have a different story and Nintendo isn't giving a clear answer.
And now, over a week later, we find out that we have to pay for the DLC for Zelda: Breath of the Wild separately, even though the game is already priced at £67. Why is this information only coming out now? It seems like Nintendo is just constantly releasing bad news. Are they taking marketing advice from Sony?
Let's be realistic, if Nintendo were really concerned about tariffs, they wouldn't just delay the Switch 2 Direct by a day or a week. It would be indefinitely. The whole situation with import tariffs in America is going to be a mess for a while and with a 90-day pause announcement for everywhere except China, it looks like Americans might have to wait three to six months before they can even buy the console.
I have a problem with all this confusion around the Switch 2 prices. We haven't even heard about third party prices yet. Who is going to buy a two-year-old game like Elden Ring on the Switch 2 if it's priced at £70, when it's available for a third of that on other consoles and PC? Sure, there might be some die-hard Nintendo fans who have only ever owned a Switch, but how many of them are also interested in playing big, complex triple-A games like Elden Ring and Final Fantasy 7 Remake? I have my doubts. And I also doubt that this will be anything but more bad news for Nintendo, especially if every low-effort port on the Switch is priced at £60+.
On a lighter note, I have to say that the European Mega Drive is the best looking console I've ever seen. I know there are some who argue that the PC Engine is better looking, but have you seen the sleek black design of the Mega Drive? It even had an earphone jack and a volume knob that made you feel like a DJ. And it's not just my opinion, the European version was even better looking than the Japanese one. I mean, how often does that happen? Anyway, enough of my rambling. GC, what are your top five best looking consoles of all time? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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