With the RAM crisis looming ever larger on the horizon, and global market volatility resulting in ripple economic effects across consumer sectors, gaming fans who have been on the fence are quickly Nintendo Switch 2 console may want to pull the trigger, as the latest financial forecasts expect a price hike for Nintendo's newest hardware sometime in 2026. The Nintendo Switch 2 will celebrate its one-year anniversary on June 5, but if early marketing analysis is any indication, the party may be less than joyous for those looking to finally bring the console home in the coming months.
There was already a lot of hype around the launch price of the Nintendo Switch 2, which many felt was too high for the hardware options, especially compared to competitors like the PlayStation and Xbox. However, the portability of the Switch 2 and Nintendo's first-party IP, which it had long kept locked away for its own console releases, helped play massively in the Switch 2's favor, pushing it to become the fastest-selling video game console of all time. While early sales of the Switch 2 have maintained a fairly steady pace, broader changes in the technology market and political influences on economic trends could prove to be a daunting hurdle for the Switch 2, especially if key factors force Nintendo to raise the price.
Nintendo is reportedly ramping up Switch 2 production
Just months after its launch, Switch 2 sales have soared through major milestones, with Nintendo announcing that it is ramping up production of the console.
Will Nintendo Switch 2 be more expensive in 2026?
Trusted market data and consumer insights firm Niko Partners has released its business forecasts for 2026, which included the rather unfortunate expectation that the Nintendo Switch 2 will receive a price increase in response to “the impact of tariffs, increased memory costs and broader macroeconomic conditions”. Niko Partners acknowledged that Nintendo previously decided to maintain its entry price of $449 through 2025, but the company predicts that increased demand from AI data centers will drive even higher RAM and storage costs, which may leave Nintendo with little choice in the matter. Alternatively, Niko Partners believes that Nintendo could decide to simply discontinue the $449 Switch 2 console and instead offer a $499 bundle with a digital edition Mario Kart Worldalthough the latter option may also be affected by limited availability and price increases.
It's worth noting that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has addressed the issue of rising RAM costs, saying there won't be an immediate price increase for the Nintendo Switch 2, though he avoided any mention of the long-term ramifications of the RAM issues. For those who don't know, Micron Technology, one of the top three consumer RAM manufacturers, announced in 2025 that it will end direct sales of consumer RAM and SSDs, choosing instead to focus on manufacturing and selling to data centers and AI enterprises. This means that supply will decrease while demand remains high, leading to even higher costs. For video game consoles and PCs that rely on this hardware, these costs must either be absorbed by the companies themselves, such as Nintendo, or passed on to consumers, which Niko Partners says is inevitable.
Gamers have already seen the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 hit with price increases, and while Nintendo has managed to keep the Switch 2's price stable so far, it wouldn't be unexpected to see the Japanese powerhouse bow to broader economic and technological forces in the near future. as it stands Nintendo Switch 2 it's still available for $449, and with the $499 bundle rumored to be shortened, now might be the best time to grab the Switch 2 before consumer price hikes rear their ugly, expensive heads.
- Released
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June 5, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone // Mild fantasy violence, user interaction
- Developers
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Nintendo
- Publishers
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Nintendo
