As Switch 2 fans worry about price increases, Nintendo of America president isn't too reassuring as he admits tariffs make for "a very fluid situation"

Switch 2 launch games: a close-up of Mario and Luigi racing each other during Mario Kart World.
(Image credit: Nintendo)

With tariffs, inflation, and memories of pandemic supply chain shortages still fresh in a lot of our minds, the question is: will the Nintendo Switch 2 remain at its current $450 price tag?

The Switch 2's pre-orders were delayed in the US for a while due to the US tariffs imposed on much of the world. In particular, the high tariffs on China, Vietnam, and Cambodia, could affect the price of the Switch 2 as it's produced in these countries.

Asked by IGN if Nintendo can commit to the Switch 2's current price into the future amid tariff uncertainties, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser says: "We made a commitment by announcing the pricing of both the single SKU [stock keeping unit] at $449 and then the bundled SKU with Mario Kart World at $499. And we really thought it was important that we established that price point, even after further tariffs were announced, to give consumers that comfort that they would be able to purchase at that price point."

Recently, both the PS5 and Xbox Series have seen price increases, likely due to inflation and tariffs, so people are worried the Switch 2 could get more expensive before it even comes out.

"Obviously, it's still a very fluid situation and it's difficult to determine what may be happening in the upcoming months or weeks," Bowser says. "But our commitment is to find ways within existing market conditions or changing market conditions to make our products, including Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, as obtainable as we possibly can."

The Switch 2 is $150 more expensive than the original Switch was at launch, so it's already a much more costly console, but hopefully we won't see any more increases any time soon.

If you're staying caught up with the latest Nintendo Switch 2 news, also be sure to see our roundup of upcoming Switch 2 games and Nintendo Switch 2 launch games.

Issy van der Velde
Contributor

I'm Issy, a freelancer who you'll now occasionally see over here covering news on GamesRadar. I've always had a passion for playing games, but I learned how to write about them while doing my Film and TV degrees at the University of Warwick and contributing to the student paper, The Boar. After university I worked at TheGamer before heading up the news section at Dot Esports. Now you'll find me freelancing for Rolling Stone, NME, Inverse, and many more places. I love all things horror, narrative-driven, and indie, and I mainly play on my PS5. I'm currently clearing my backlog and loving Dishonored 2.

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