Nintendo has suggested that theNintendo Switch 2home console/handheld hybrid could very well become more expensive due to market conditions. TheNintendo Switch 2launched at the beginning of June with two bundles available. The standard Switch 2 retails for $449.99 and comes with the console, dock, cables, and Joy-Con 2 controllers, while the $499.99 version includes all that plus a digital download code forMario Kart World.
When the Trump tariffs were first announced, video game companies warned that it could result in a price increase for consumers. Those fears have now been realized, as Nintendo has confirmed that, starting August 3, theoriginal Switch family of systems and products will become more expensivein the US “based on market conditions.” While Nintendo itself did not announce the new pricing for the Switch consoles, Target leaked the new prices. The original Switch will go from $299.99 to $339.99, while the Switch OLED will retail for $399.99, up from $349.99. The Switch Lite, meanwhile, will cost $229.99, up from the $199.99. It’s virtually unprecedented for a video game console to become more expensive over time instead of cheaper, and so, understandably, many fans are upset about the development.
Nintendo Switch 2 is at Risk of Becoming More Expensive
The bright side is that Nintendo has not yet announced any kind of price increase for the Switch 2. However, that doesn’t mean a Switch 2 price increase is completely off the table. In its announcement confirming the price increase for Switch 1 consoles and accessories, Nintendo confirmed that “price adjustments may be necessary in the future.” This warning applies to the Switch 2 console, physical and digital Switch 1 and Switch 2 games, and Switch Online memberships. The takeaway is that if anyone is interested in buying a Switch 2 but is holding out for whatever reason, now may be the time to pull the trigger if they don’t want to pay more than the current asking price. At the time of this writing, the Switch 2 costs $449.99 for the standard version and $499.99 for theMario Kart Worldbundle, but both versions could become more expensive.
Some Nintendo fans have expressed disappointment that the Switch 2 doesn’t have an OLED screen, and have claimed that they are holding out for that eventual revision. Others have said that the Switch 2 doesn’t have enough exclusives to justify buying it at this point in time, which is valid. However, it’s unclear just how long theTrump tariffs will impact the gaming industry, and so it’s entirely possible that the Switch 2 price increases, if they come to pass, are effectively permanent or last years. If you are someone that was planning on buying a Switch 2 this year but was waiting for the holidays or something, it may be better to be safe than sorry and take the plunge now to avoid paying more down the line.
This isn’t the first time that the Switch 2 was at risk of a price increase because of the Trump tariffs. Nintendo delayed its pre-order plans for the device in North America, but ultimately kept the previously announced price for the system itself while raising the cost of accessories.
The Switch 2 is hardly two months old at this point, and so it’s understandable that it doesn’t have a beefy library of exclusive games yet. However,Donkey Kong Bananzais one of the highest-rated games of the yearand is a Switch 2 exclusive, as isMario Kart World. Switch 2 consoles also have access to almost the entire library of Switch 1 games through backward compatibility, so those willing to part with the original system could potentially get a discount at certain retailers.
