For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
Joost van Dreunen, NYU Stern professor and author of SuperJoost Playlist, told IGN: "With the PlayStation 5 Pro at $700 and premium gaming handhelds in the $549+ range, Nintendo's pricing looks relatively reasonable by comparison."
Of course, it's worth noting that the PS5 Pro is likely considerably more powerful than the Switch 2, whose full technical specs have yet to be confirmed.
Article continues below
Other analysts talking to IGN had different opinions, with Ampere Analysis' Piers Harding-Rolls attributing the higher-than-expected price to the uncertainty around the Trump administration's import tariffs. Meanwhile, analysts including Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto and Omdia's James McWhirter speculated that the commercial success of more expensive consoles like the PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X, particularly compared to the more affordable Series S, gave Nintendo the confidence to price the Switch as high as it did.
Toto also argued that the Switch's price tag won't be a significant factor in its success in the console's first year because people will buy it "no matter what."
"What I am a bit worried about is if Nintendo will again be able to reach the mainstream audience at scale later, i.e. families that might have much tighter budgets for entertainment in today's economy," said Toto. "Nintendo is clearly betting on people accepting higher prices as a new normal by then."
As someone very much not in the business of analyzing financial stuff, I have to admit to being ever so slightly bewildered by the shock reaction to the Switch 2's pricing. The price is right in the middle of what industry analysts had been predicting, and although I would love for the Switch 2 to be more affordable, I did a mental shrug when I first saw its price tag as $2000 graphics cards floated through my head. I dunno, maybe I'm just desensitized to everything being ridiculously expensive these days.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Join The Community
