"That's too much money": Jeff Gerstmann slams Nintendo's Mario Kart World pricing

Former GameSpot editorial director and video game journalist Jeff Gerstmann has live-reacted to the Mario Kart World release on his latest Twitch stream, criticizing Nintendo for its pricing. For context, Mario Kart World was revealed to be the title game for the Switch 2 on April 2, 2025, and has garnered mixed reactions online.

Gerstmann expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that buying the standalone game would cost players $80:

"That's too much money! That's too much money. That's f**king, like a crazed amount of money!"

A clip of the Twitch streamer's reaction to Mario Kart World's price has garnered a lot of attention on social media platforms like Reddit, where it was shared on r/LivestreamFail.

Many Redditors echoed Gerstmann's concerns, with some claiming that the pricing would force people to buy the Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle.

"The 80 dollar price tag is basically just a fancy way of forcing people to buy the bundle," one Redditor commented.

Others claimed that this pricing strategy would become the norm.

"People will buy it, and it will become the new norm. Classic," a user wrote.

There were many more reactions to the price.

"Seriously got to the point where we have to spend nearly 1/5 of a console price just to play Mario Kart of all things," a Redditor posted.

"90€ in Europe. Insanity," another commented.

"F**k that, dude!": Jeff Gerstmann blasts Mario Kart World price on Twitch stream

Jeff Gerstmann noted that players could get Mario Kart World for roughly $50 if they bought a Switch 2 bundle for $499.99. For context, the base Switch 2 model costs $449.99.

The video game journalist stated:

"You know, the bundling is basically saying that Mario Kart will be $50 in a bundle. Which you would assume, yeah there we go."

The Twitch streamer did not mince words while expressing his displeasure:

"Available June 5, $79.99 MSRP. F**k that, dude!"

Timestamp 1:40:00

Later in the stream, Gerstmann reiterated that the $80 price tag for Mario Kart World "was too much money":

"That is too much money! I don't have any further commentary on that. That is too much f**king money. $80 for Mario Kart is too much money. I don't care how open that world is, that is too much money!"

Gerstmann also noted that the Switch 2 Joy-Con Wheels would be sold separately for $20 a pair, furthering his frustration with the price.

About the author

Richik has been specializing in streamer content at Sportskeeda for over 2 years. He also manages a group of writers who craft relevant news and features about content creators on platforms like Twitch, Kick, and Rumble. Prior to Sportskeeda, he interned at The Ken and worked as a reviewer at Blacksof where he fact-checked educational content.

Richik’s love for writing, researching, and archiving, along with his inquisitive nature and longstanding love for video games led him to pursue a career as a gaming journalist. He relies on primary sources for accurate information and ensures that his drafts are proofread, fact-checked, and well-researched.

As a child, Richik spent many a summer vacation playing the 1994 Road Rash with his cousins. Although more of an FPS and open-world fiend now, Richik enjoys single-player RPGs with compelling storytelling, such as The Last of Us franchise, and regularly teams up with his friends to play multiplayer titles like Valorant on PC.

Richik enjoys watching streamer and former esports athlete Shroud, and also finds inspiration in MrBeast's journey to become one of the most well-known content creators worldwide. Interviewing English-Somali YouTuber Sharky, a member of the renowned Beta Squad, was a career highlight for him.

When not writing, Richik likes to read, watch a movie or a game of football.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh