Nintendo is increasing the price of the Switch 2 by $50 in the United States starting September 1, 2026. The new retail price will be $499.99, up from $449.99. Nintendo cites changes in market conditions as the reason for the increase.
In Canada, the Switch 2 will cost $679.99. In Europe, the price rises to €499.99. The price change in Japan begins earlier, on May 25, and applies not only to the Switch 2 but also to the original Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite, all of which will be more expensive.
Price Increases in Japan and Why Nintendo Is Raising Prices
Nintendo will increase the prices of its Switch Online and Expansion Pack memberships in Japan starting July 1, citing the need for alignment across regions. The company is also adjusting prices for Nintendo playing cards in Japan, citing higher costs and increased material prices.
The price hike is largely blamed on the ongoing memory shortage driven by demand for AI infrastructure, which has led to higher prices for DRAM and NAND across the consumer electronics industry. In late April, Samsung's mobile division warned that it could see its first net loss on smartphones due to the rising costs of memory.
Nintendo initially launched the Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, at a price of $449.99, which was already $150 higher than the original Switch at launch. Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser explained that the increased price was due to enhanced features and technological upgrades.
The September price increase marks a break from the usual trend of console prices decreasing over a hardware generation. Nintendo has not announced any timeline for a possible review or reversal of the price increase if memory market conditions improve.
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