The original Nintendo Switch, a console that has been a cultural phenomenon and a best-seller for years, is about to get more expensive in the United States. This news comes as a bit of a surprise, as consoles typically get cheaper over time, especially after a successor has been on the market for a while. This price hike is not just an arbitrary move; it’s a strategic decision by Nintendo that offers some fascinating insights into the company’s current direction.
Nintendo is citing “market conditions” for the price hike. However, there is speculation that the reasons behind the increase are twofold. The first reason is, per the official statement, due to the recently enforced tariffs, which have likely raised the cost of importing the consoles and accessories. It comes as no surprise that Nintendo is passing some of that cost on to consumers. The second, and perhaps more intriguing, reason is that Nintendo wants to make the price jump from the original Nintendo Switch to the newer Nintendo Switch 2 less of a hurdle for new buyers.
All three models of the console are seeing a price increase: the standard Nintendo Switch will see its price increase from $299.99 to $339.99, the Switch Lite will go from $199.99 to $229.99, and the Switch OLED model will increase from $349.99 to $399.99. By raising the price of the older consoles, Nintendo effectively narrows the financial gap between the devices, subtly pushing new customers towards its latest hardware. It is also worth noting that the Joy-Con 2 Controllers for the Switch 2 are also seeing a price increase from $94.99 to $99.99. Together with this, the Nintendo ALARMO accessory is also going from $99.99 to $109.99.
This strategy feels particularly confident given the phenomenal performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 since its launch. Despite its higher price tag, the new console has been selling incredibly well. Nintendo has already sold over 6 million units in just a couple of months, yet it still can’t keep up with the overwhelming demand from consumers. This remarkable sales momentum, even with a limited exclusive game library, seems to support the idea that Nintendo’s brand power is as strong as ever.
Speaking of games, the library for the Switch 2 is still quite limited in terms of exclusives. So far, the only two notable exclusives are Donkey Kong Bonanza and Mario Kart Worlds. This lack of a massive exclusive lineup at this juncture suggests that Nintendo is confident in its new console’s ability to sell on its own merits, and it also makes the price hike for the older model seem even more strategic. It may also be the largest hurdle for consumers when it comes to purchasing the console, as many of the third-party games on the Switch 2, like Cyberpunk 2077, are already available on other platforms.
We expect that this price increase will have little to no effect on the overall sales of the Switch family and that we are likely to see a boom in sales during the upcoming holiday season.
It’s also worth noting that while this price change is currently focused on the US market, we are unsure if it will come to other markets around the world. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a console maker make a bold move like this. Sony, for example, recently did the opposite by increasing the price of the PS5 globally, a decision that was speculatively in response to a similar situation with rising manufacturing and import costs.
