On Friday May 8, President of Nintendo Shuntaro Furukawa released an official statement that prices for the Switch 2 will experience a worldwide increase as well as prices for the previous Switch console, the Switch OLED, and the Switch Lite in Japan. “Given that the impact of various changes in market conditions is expected to extend over the medium to long term, price revisions are also planned outside Japan,” states Nintendo’s press release. “We sincerely apologize for the impact these price revisions may have on our customers and other stakeholders, and we deeply appreciate your understanding.”
For the United States and Canada, that means a $50 price increase for the Switch 2, and for Europe the price will be increased by 30 euros. Japan’s Switch 2 price will increase by 10,000 yen, and it will take effect pretty quickly on May 25 this month. Some unconfirmed sources have indicated that South Korea may also experience a price change but Nintendo has not disclosed it. For the rest of the world, the increases won’t happen until September 1, 2026, so if you haven’t purchased a Switch 2 yet or are planning to get one for the holidays, it is better to do it sooner than later. Stores are already selling out of Switch 2s in Japan as residents race to buy one before it’s May 25.
Nintendo reported price increases for Nintendo Switch Online as well as their playing cards, but those increases will only occur in Japan. It appears that the country will face the most price increases out of any other at this time.
President Furukawa further apologized about the price increases in a recent financial results briefing but vowed to make up for it with a “robust software lineup” of Switch 2 games. “We will work diligently to overcome this barrier… 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. The [new] pricing does not fully account for all cost increases.”
President Furukawa is expecting the Switch 2’s second year to grow slower than the first, but he noted that the overall success of the record-breaking console is alive and well. “…the first year sales reached an unprecedented level,” said Furukawa. “The demand in the second year is firm, and we believe that the adoption of Switch 2 is progressing smoothly.”
