Nintendo is responding to changing market conditions and is raising prices globally for the Nintendo Switch 2, the current Switch family, and online memberships.
From September 1, 2026, the price for the Nintendo Switch 2 In Europe, the price will increase from €469,99 to €499,99, while Japan will have to cope with significant price increases for all current Switch models starting on May 25, 2026, and for Nintendo Switch Online starting in July.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is approaching the 500-euro mark.
The pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 is thus approaching the level of its competitors. In the US and Europe, the price will be increased by 50 units of the local currency. For the European market, this means a recommended retail price of just under €500. With this move, Nintendo is losing some of its image as a budget-friendly family provider and moving closer, both technically and in terms of price, to the base models of the PlayStation 5.
The price increases are particularly drastic in Japan. While the Nintendo Switch 2 is becoming approximately 10.000 yen more expensive there, the prices for the nearly ten-year-old hardware of the first Switch generation are also rising significantly. The Switch OLED is climbing from 37.980 to 47.980 yen in Japan. Hardware becoming more expensive rather than cheaper at the end of its life cycle is a highly unusual occurrence in the industry.
Nintendo Switch Online is getting more expensive
The price adjustment doesn't just affect the hardware. Starting July 1, 2026, Nintendo Switch Online fees will increase in Japan. A 12-month individual membership will rise from 2.400 to 3.000 yen, while the bundle including the Expansion Pass will increase to 5.900 yen. Nintendo justifies this with a global harmonization of its services. It's expected that similar increases will follow soon in the Western market to maintain regional focus.
Nintendo is breaking with its tradition of offering hardware at lower prices over time. This move signals that production and logistics costs, as well as currency fluctuations, are so significant that even the high sales figures of the original Switch no longer sufficiently support profit margins.
For potential Switch 2 buyers, this means: the device will no longer be an impulse purchase. At €500, Nintendo is positioning itself in a premium segment where players expect a corresponding level of technical performance. Anyone still wanting to purchase a current-generation Switch or a subscription should do so before the respective release dates in summer or autumn.
The price jump for the Switch 2 to €499,99 is a risky move. Nintendo is leaving the comfort zone of being a "cheap second console." For gamers, this means that the manufacturer's subsidies for the hardware are decreasing, and the purchase price is rising to the level of Sony and Microsoft.
For that price, I'd rather buy a phone, like the Red Magic 11 Air. It's not only more powerful but can also emulate the Switch 1 (2) and play PC games. What does Nintendo think? Mario and the like aren't so exclusive and amazing that you need a Switch for them. My daughter prefers playing Minecraft on it to Mario Kart. In a few years, she'll get a smartphone, and then it'll all be irrelevant anyway. As an adult, I'm more into PS, PC, and Xbox. Before I spend that much money on a Nintendo handheld, I'd rather buy a smartphone or a handheld from a reputable brand. Because I know I can get all my AAA and even AAA games there. With Nintendo, it's a bit of a gamble.