As part of its financial results presentation last Friday, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa stated that the upcoming price increase for the Switch 2 will not cover “all cost increases” associated with manufacturing the console. For those unaware, Nintendo announced last week that the price of the Switch 2 will be increasing $50 in the US to $499.99 on September 1st, 2026. It will also be increasing in other regions in accordance with local currency, though Japan’s price increase will take effect on May 25th, 2026.
Speaking to shareholders, Furukawa said, “We sincerely apologize to our customers for the considerable inconvenience and trouble this will cause. While we wanted to prioritize a wide adoption, it was challenging to bear the rising costs over a long period.” As reported by Reuters Japan, Nintendo cited the rising cost of memory and the weak yen as the main factors for raising prices. Rising crude oil prices (which would impact shipping) are also a factor that might get worse in the short term.
While it was seemingly inevitable that the console’s price would increase, Nintendo hopes that its strong lineup of upcoming Switch 2 games will entice players to grab the console for themselves. “We will prepare a robust software line-up to enhance the Switch 2 ownership value,” Furukawa stated. “We will work diligently to overcome this barrier.”
No one has been free from rising manufacturing prices in the games industry. Both Microsoft and Sony have already increased prices on its consoles, and with Nintendo now following suit, it seems this generation is going to go down as one of the most expensive in history. Nintendo will soon start selling digital versions of its games for cheaper, which might offset the increased price of buying the console for certain customers.
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Nintendo announces price increase for Switch 2, effective September 1, 2026
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
