When Nintendo finally revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 in early April, gamers were astonished to find the next-gen handheld console priced higher than anticipated. Most leaks and analysts indicated that $399 was the ideal price point, but Nintendo set the price $50 above that. A bundle including the Mario Kart World game was priced at $499.99. Switch 2 exclusives would also come at a higher cost than previously.
Then came the real surprise: Trump’s new tariffs. Nintendo promptly halted preorders for the North American market to evaluate the effects of the new tariffs. A few weeks later, the company declared a new preorder date for the US, maintaining the original prices for the Switch 2. However, certain accessories did see price increases.
Fast-forward to late June, and Nintendo reported a price rise for all Nintendo Switch 1 models sold in Canada. The brief statement mentioned that the Switch 2 price will remain unchanged for the time being. Nonetheless, fans globally have valid reasons to be concerned about potential future increases.
New Switch 1 prices
Nintendo released a statement regarding the impending price changes for Switch 1 products on August 1 in Canada:
Pricing for the original Nintendo Switch family of systems and products in Canada will be adjusted based on market conditions. This includes the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, physical and digital Nintendo Switch games, and Nintendo Switch accessories. Other Nintendo products, such as amiibo and Nintendo Switch Online memberships, will also see price adjustments.
The company did not specify any new prices for Canada, so we will have to wait for another announcement in the upcoming weeks. Nintendo did mention that the Switch 2 system, accessories, and software would remain unaffected.
As Engadget highlights, prices for the Switch 1 models are already nearing those of the Switch 2:
– Nintendo Switch – CA$400,
– Nintendo Switch OLED – CA$450
– Nintendo Switch Lite – CA$269
– Nintendo Switch 2 – CA$630
Any price rise would make the Switch 1 less appealing compared to the newer Switch 2. On the other hand, acquiring the new console is challenging, with inventory depleting faster than Nintendo can restock.
Will the Switch 2 price increase?
Nintendo’s press release was succinct, but it made it clear that the Switch 2 would not be included in this wave of price increases. That being said, the price could potentially go up in the future, depending on how “market conditions” evolve.
