Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Top eShop Despite $20 Price Backlash

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen arrive on Nintendo Switch Friday, February 27, as ports of the 22-year-old Game Boy Advance remakes. Those editions are widely regarded as the definitive versions of the originals thanks to quality-of-life changes and added areas and quest lines, but the $20 price tag drew criticism from some players.

Even so, both games are already topping the eShop charts. Reactions on social media split sharply: some players call $20 reasonable for a 30+-hour game and shrug off complaints, while others argue the releases offer no changes or online support and amount to an old ROM and emulator being sold at a premium.

A few noted people would have complained even if the titles had been added to Nintendo Switch Online. Commentary around the release highlights how subjective video game pricing can be. Observers point to economic differences and the ways companies set prices — one developer described it as "weird, vibes-based psychology" — and note that the games once retailed for $40 in 2004.

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