"In light of changes in market conditions, and after considering the global business outlook, Nintendo will revise the manufacturer's suggested retail prices of the Nintendo Switch 2 system and Nintendo Switch systems." That quote, straight from Nintendo, says everything you need to know about where console pricing is headed.
The short version: Switch 2 is getting more expensive. From September 1, 2026, the console will cost $499.99 in the United States, up $50 from its current price. Nintendo also issued a public apology, saying it “sincerely apologizes for the impact these price revisions may have on our customers.”
What the new prices look like across regions
The US increase is notable, but Nintendo is moving prices globally. In Europe, Switch 2 hardware rises by 30 euros to 499.99 euros. Canadian buyers are looking at a $50 increase too, bringing the console to $679.99 CAD.
Japan moves faster. Those price revisions kick in on May 25, well ahead of the September date for other regions. The Japan-exclusive region-locked Switch 2 will climb to ¥59,980, while the Switch OLED hits ¥47,980, the Switch Lite reaches ¥29,980, and the standard Switch lands at ¥43,980. Nintendo is also aligning Nintendo Switch Online subscription pricing in Japan with other global regions as part of the same revision.
The September 1 date applies to the US, Europe, and Canada. Japan's increases arrive much sooner, on May 25.
The economic forces pushing prices up
Here's the thing: Nintendo held out longer than its competitors. Sony and Microsoft both raised hardware prices in the past year. Then in March, Sony announced a $100 price increase for PlayStation 5 consoles, with the cheapest Digital Edition having ballooned by 50% ($200 total) since the PS5 launched in 2020. At the equivalent point in the PlayStation 4's lifecycle, that console was selling for as little as $200.
RAM costs are a significant factor. Prices for memory have climbed sharply over the past year, largely driven by demand from AI data centers competing for the same supply that consumer electronics manufacturers rely on. Nintendo's hardware costs are directly tied to that market.
US tariffs played a role earlier in Switch 2's life too. Nintendo delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in the US due to economic uncertainty, and while the console itself launched without a price increase, some accessories were already priced higher to account for tariff pressure. Nintendo also raised the price of the original Switch in the US last summer, citing "market conditions" at the time, so this move follows a pattern the company has been building toward.
A $500 Nintendo console is a new reality
For context, the original Switch launched at $299 in 2017. Switch 2 launched above that, and now it's crossing the $500 threshold. That's a significant psychological barrier for a Nintendo platform, which has historically competed on value against PlayStation and Xbox.
The key here is that Nintendo isn't alone in this position. The entire console market is repricing upward in response to the same pressures: component costs, currency shifts, and tariff exposure. Buyers who were waiting for Switch 2 prices to drop, as they typically do mid-cycle, may be waiting a long time.
Price revisions for additional regions beyond the US, Europe, Canada, and Japan are expected, with Nintendo noting that announcements will come from its regional subsidiaries. If you're tracking how Switch 2 fits into the broader hardware market right now, our game reviews cover the software side of the equation. For anything hardware-adjacent you're trying to navigate, our gaming guides hub is worth bookmarking as the Switch 2 library grows through the rest of the year.
