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Nintendo's pricing strategy puzzles fans as old Switch nears Switch 2 cost [1]

['Grant St. Clair']

Date: 2025-08-04

The Switch 2 is already the status symbol of the summer thanks to its much-maligned price, but Nintendo evidently isn't quite satisfied yet. Their hardware has already seen one price hike in recent months, but to slightly misappropriate a certain hobbit, what about second price hike?

Worry not, for Nintendo has you covered. A recent blog post announced further price hikes that go into effect today (as of time of writing):

Pricing for the original Nintendo Switch family of systems and products will change in the United States based on market conditions, effective August 3, 2025. These include Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and select Nintendo Switch accessories. Other Nintendo products, including certain Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, select amiibo, and the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, will also see adjustments. Pricing for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, physical and digital Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 games, as well as Nintendo Switch Online memberships, will remain unchanged at this time. However, please note that price adjustments may be necessary in the future.

Necessary feels like a bit of stretch, but sure. In case you were wondering, the price "changing" is, of course, only in one direction. Original Switch consoles — eight-year-old hardware — are now going for a cool $340, while the OLED model with a slightly better screen is a round $400, less than $50 away from the brand-new Switch 2. Tariffs, corporate greed, pure spite — whatever you want to blame this on, making the last generation less accessible while refusing to budge on the downright extortionate prices of the current one is an utterly bizarre move. Who's going to pay $400 for a Switch in 2025?

Of course, the question answers itself: hopefully, no one, so they view that $50 step up to the Switch 2 as not such a big deal after all.

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/08/04/nintendos-pricing-strategy-puzzles-fans-as-old-switch-nears-switch-2-cost.html

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