1. Most Switch 2 games are $70 2. S2 is $450 3. S2 & a game is $520 4. S2 bundled w/ game would be cost less. 5. $500 is a nice round number 6. $500 < $520 7. Mario Kart is more than $70 8. Two price points for bundles is confusing Ergo, the two bundles cost the same
So your argument is that they decided to make a bundle that significantly costs less than buying the two separately for no reason? This isn't even something like the new Pokemon bundle. I would put good money that literally everyone who wanted to buy a Switch 2 at launch was going to buy MarioKart.
I mean, the point of any bundle is that you guarantee money from the single purchase instead of relying on two separate purchases, potentially on separate occasions. Would *everyone* have bought Mario Kart for $80? No, but they'd get it in the bundle that's only $50 more.
It is literally the launch of the console. I just don't buy the argument that the reason MarioKart sold is because the bundle exists. Much less why the bundle is significantly cheaper than buying separately.
Mario Kart definitely sold a lot because it's Mario Kart and it's a great game, but I'd bet more than a few people were persuaded into getting it because it was cheaper in the bundle.
It is basically an unprovable statement. But I will point out effectively selling MarioKart World at $50 is leaving money on the table given how much Mario Kart 8 sold and it was basically at $60 most of the time.