Nintendo has confirmed a price increase for its Switch 2 console, which will rise from $449.99 to $499.99 in the United States starting September 1, 2026. The company attributes the hike to current market conditions. The increase also affects Canada ($679.99) and Europe (an additional €30). In Japan, the change is more drastic: the console will cost ¥59,980 from May 25, 2026, and extends to all Switch hardware, including Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions, whose 12-month family plan will rise from ¥4,500 to ¥5,800.
More expensive hardware: impact on the supply chain and components 🛠️
From a technical perspective, the price adjustment responds to the escalation in costs of semiconductors, transportation, and raw materials. The Switch 2 integrates a custom NVIDIA chip, likely based on the Lovelace architecture, offering hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS 3.5. These components have seen a significant increase in their manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the decision to apply the increase to the entire Switch ecosystem, including peripherals and the online service, suggests that Nintendo seeks to maintain stable margins in a global inflationary environment.
The subscription also rises: now you'll pay more to play online 💸
Nintendo hasn't wanted to leave anyone out. If you already thought it was expensive to pay to play Splatoon 3 with strangers, get ready: the 12-month family plan goes from ¥4,500 to ¥5,800. That's an extra ¥1,300 so your kids can keep losing matches in Mario Kart. At least, the excuse of market conditions is original. Next time your console asks for an update, check your bank account.