May 17, 2026, 6:08 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Nintendo is raising prices worldwide for the Switch 2. The company is following a trend that has been affecting the gaming market for months. Sony and Microsoft have also recently increased the prices of their consoles. Nintendo had long resisted this move but is now adjusting its suggested retail price as well. The company cites current market conditions as the reason.
Switch 2 to Become More Expensive in Europe
In Europe, the Nintendo Switch 2 currently costs officially 469.99 euros. The price will soon rise to 499.99 euros, an increase of 6.4 percent. This markup is lower than in the U.S., where Nintendo is raising the price by 11 percent.
Despite this, the console remains cheaper in the United States from a European perspective after the adjustment. Before the price increase, it was priced at $449.99, approximately 384 euros. After the adjustment, Nintendo is asking for $499.99, which is about 427 euros.
Microsoft Significantly Raises Prices for Xbox Consoles and Games
Is the Switch 2 Getting More Expensive?
Japan Faces the Largest Price Increase
The price increase is particularly significant in Nintendo’s home market of Japan. There, the price of the Switch 2 rises from just under 50,000 yen to 60,000 yen, a 20 percent increase. Nevertheless, the console remains the cheapest there. Even after the adjustment, it costs only about 325 euros in the Land of the Rising Sun. Additionally, Nintendo is also raising the prices of the original Switch models in Japan. Depending on the version, the devices will soon range between approximately 160 and 260 euros. On average, prices there are rising by about 50 euros.
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The new prices do not take effect everywhere immediately. In Japan, the change will be effective on May 25, 2026. In Europe and other regions, there is still some time. There, the price increase will not take effect until September 1, 2026. Buyers can still secure the Switch 2 at the current price until then. Price increases are almost becoming routine in the tech market. Rising production costs are one reason, among others. The expansion of new AI data centers is causing bottlenecks in the memory sector. At the same time, the geopolitical situation is further straining the economy.
Nintendo Expects Revenue Decline
For Nintendo, the price increase comes at a challenging time. The Switch 2 is already considered relatively expensive for a Nintendo console. Additionally, there is currently a lack of major games that could further drive hardware sales. The company is therefore forecasting an 11.4 percent revenue decline for the fiscal year 2027. However, a financial expert told Reuters that this assessment is too pessimistic. He believes that user activity typically increases in the second half of a console cycle.
Whether the higher prices will actually dampen demand for the Switch 2 remains to be seen. It is also still unclear how much the changes will ultimately affect the street prices of the console.