Nintendo announced last week that it would be raising prices on its popular Switch 2 console, almost one year following its release date. The company is claiming that a multitude of factors have influenced this decision, though rumour has it that pressure from investors, profit concerns, US tariffs, and chip prices are the core contributors.
So what does this mean for consumers? The price of the Nintendo Switch 2 as it stands is currently $449.99 / £395.99 for the console alone (no games included), or $499 / £429.99 for a bundle with a digital download of Mario Kart World included. According to Nintendo, these console prices will increase in the coming months to accommodate "the impact of various changes in market conditions".
The good news is that the global price hike isn't expected to take place in most regions until September 1st, excluding Japan, which will take the hit starting from as early as May 25th. Nintendo Switch 2 console prices will be increasing from ¥49,980 to ¥59,980 in Japan ( a 10,000 yen increase).
"We understand that pricing changes can be challenging for customers and deeply appreciate the continued enthusiasm of our fans for Nintendo products and experiences"
Nintendo
In the US, the Switch 2 console will soon cost $499.99. In Canada, prices will be $679.99, and you can expect to spend €499.99 in Europe. The BBC has stated that a revised price for the UK region will be confirmed by Nintendo at a later date.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently apologised during a financial results briefing and promised to make up for the higher prices with a “robust software lineup” to enhance the ownership value of the Switch 2.
Best Nintendo Switch 2 deals right now: Get it while you can
What's the reason for these price hikes?
It's confusing that the Switch 2 has been one of the most successful console launches in the company’s history, yet Nintendo is raising prices to offset lost profits. A recent May 2026 financial report from Nintendo shares that the Switch 2 generated a substantial revenue of ¥2.3 trillion ($14.7 billion USD) in the fiscal year ending March 31. Sales of the Switch 2 console totalled 19.86 million units, whereas software sales totalled 48.71 million units, which begs the question of why these price hikes remain necessary.
A key component of the Nintendo Switch 2 (and many of the best game consoles for that matter) is RAM memory, and this has shot up in price lately, nearly doubling in the first quarter of 2026, in part thanks to the buildout of global AI data centres.
This memory shortage has contributed to Nintendo's decision to hike up the price of the Switch 2, and rising component prices alongside trends in foreign exchange rates and oil prices, plus US tariff measures, are said to have caused an additional burden of approximately 100 billion yen to production costs.
In a recent financial results Q&A briefing, Shuntaro Furukawa (Nintendo's President) was subject to questions from investors regarding the decision to adjust the Switch 2 price. The translation (via machine) and a report by Nintendo Everything share that Furukawa stated, "The recent adjustment to the hardware price was not driven by any single specific factor; rather, it was a decision made in response to various recent shifts in market conditions that we determined would impact the global business viability of our dedicated game console operations over the medium to long term".
"Had the rise in costs been merely a temporary phenomenon – one expected to subside within a relatively short timeframe – we might have opted for a different strategy". "We concluded that maintaining the original price would lead to a significant deterioration in the hardware’s profitability".
What other Nintendo products are affected?
The Switch 2 console is not the only product receiving price revisions, as the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, plus expansion packs, playing cards, the original Nintendo Switch console, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED models will also be getting a price hike in Japan, which could potentially extend to other regions as time progresses.
Pricing for the first-gen Nintendo Switch console system is not expected to change outside of Japan, and it seems that software prices will remain untouched, which is a relief considering that Switch 2 game prices are extortionate (at least in my opinion).
