Nintendo defends Switch 2 pricing amid tariff concerns and gamer backlash

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Facepalm: Nintendo would much prefer the focus to be on the many technological improvements introduced with the Switch 2. However, most gamers are now more interested in discussing how much the new console – and its compatible games – will cost compared to the previous generation.

No, Nintendo didn't slap a $450 price tag on the Switch 2 because of Trump's tariffs. According to Doug Bowser, the current president of Nintendo of America, multiple factors contributed to the console's final pricing.

The Japanese company announced the new console on the same day the US administration dropped its financial "nuclear bomb," and it's now trying to assess the impact of the tariffs on its business.

Following the Switch 2 reveal, Bowser confirmed that the newly announced tariffs were not factored into the console's final US price. However, Nintendo was later forced to halt pre-orders – originally set to begin on April 9 – as it evaluates the potential consequences of Trump's trade policy amid an already complex market.

The new wave of tariffs introduced by the second Trump administration is expected to significantly affect the entire video game industry, with most consoles and games still manufactured in China and other parts of Asia. Nintendo will also raise the price of its first-party Switch 2 games, which are now expected to cost between $70 and $80.

Bowser explained that the Switch 2 will cost $150 more than the original Switch, due to its enhanced features and technological upgrades. The new console will maintain its hybrid design but will offer a larger LCD screen with variable refresh rate capabilities, a custom-built CPU/GPU from Nvidia, more internal storage, and slightly reduced battery life.

Nvidia later confirmed that the Switch 2 will deliver 10 times the graphics performance of the original model, with support for DLSS and ray tracing. Additional new features include larger, more durable Joy-Con controllers, hardware integration for the new GameChat communication option, and more.

Bowser emphasized that these upgrades were carefully considered when determining the console's final price, and that they'll ensure the Switch 2 remains a long-lasting entertainment device. Nintendo also plans to keep selling the original Switch models for now, which may create a potential overlap in pricing and positioning between the new, more expensive Switch 2 and its predecessors.

Bowser also mentioned that Switch 2 games will be priced higher due to offering a "unique" experience. In fact, the company even plans to charge customers for simply learning how to use the Switch 2. The mini-games included in the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Bowser said, are "very deep, very repeatable," and worth $10.

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Nintendo defends Switch 2 pricing amid tariff concerns and gamer backlash

 

[The Talking Tech]

Nintendo is just taking advantage of the tariffs they seem to have planned the $450.00 price tag on the console and the $80.00 for games all along.

I would bet anything Nintendo wouldn't reduce the prices at all if the tariffs would no longer be there tomorrow.

Nintendo is greedy like that.

 

[opckieran]

And Nintendo wonders why they have to deal with emulators...

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Is this Nintendo's way of telling us The Switch and it's games are going to get even more expensive?

There was a lot of cope around the price increase relying on "Nintendo had to price potential tariffs in!"

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Wow, the Switch 2 is going to be even more expensive!

On the other hand, so is everything else. -sigh-

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Do tariffs include digital products? If so, couldn't you "import" one copy to the US and then sell copies "made" (on a server) in the USA?

 

[Squid Surprise]

Nintendo is just taking advantage of the tariffs they seem to have planned the $450.00 price tag on the console and the $80.00 for games all along.

I would bet anything Nintendo wouldn't reduce the prices at all if the tariffs would no longer be there tomorrow.

Nintendo is greedy like that.

The article states that the $450 price was made well before tariffs… the reason for halting pre-orders is in case they “have” to make it MORE expensive.

And of course, by “have”, I mean “think they can get away with”.

 

[psycros]

This product is DOA at those prices. Nintendo will either make the console and games reasonable or end up eating a massive loss.

 

[Squid Surprise]

This product is DOA at those prices. Nintendo will either make the console and games reasonable or end up eating a massive loss.

Yeah, I’m sure you’re far more business-savvy than the Nintendo company… are you going to give any evidence for this?

We’ve seen company after company charge “ridiculous” prices only to see people buy their products up faster than you can say “rip-off”…

I suspect Nintendo has done their homework and know exactly how much they can charge (aka fleece) their customers…

Which is why I still use my Wii

 

[guillejp]

The price of the Switch 2 itself is "yeah, well... Ok, I'll do it" considering inflation, maybe relatively more expensive components, and tech having gotten much more expensive in recent years. 450 today is a cheaper phone after all. So, oh well... ok.

But it's outrageous that games are 70-80 AND you have to pay for upgrades for your library that basically just unlock the resolution and FPS. No, just no. F*ck that.

 

[Dimitriid]

Title needs to be 'Nintendo defends Switch 2 pricing to try to quiet down the overwhelmingly negative reaction to 80 USD price tag for Switch 2 games'

And you can easily see why: there's basically no excuse to charge 80 USD for their games: they're simply nowhere near as hard to develop as competitor games (PS5, Series X and PC) so the cost to develop is a farce from the get go. Even if they're not admitting to tariffs there's no reason why selling digital version of their games would need to cost 80 USD as well as there's not gonna be immediate tariffs affecting people's internet connection: ISPs are infamously slow to update their infrastructure anyway and even if they all decide to do so, it should reflect a fairly little cost increase anyway

So why are we wasting time on Nintendo's hardware price tag and not talking about their insane and outright abusive price tag on games?

 

[lonetac]

This product is DOA at those prices. Nintendo will either make the console and games reasonable or end up eating a massive loss.

I love guys who say things like this. How to show you dont know how anything works without saying you dont know how anything works.

The switch 2 is going to sell very well regardless of its prices on games or console. Reality. I know you wish your take means something but it doesnt. People dont care, they will buy what they want.

We were paying $70 for SNES games in the USA. The outrage is hilarious. And I dont really care what Nintendo sells their stuff at, its just funny watching the outrage over something that hasnt changed in price in like 25+ years. Not to mention we have more cheaper games now than we have ever had thanks to indie developers which will of course be on the switch 2 as well.

 

[386forlife]

Typical Bowser move

 

[Northy]

The switch 2 is going to sell very well regardless of its prices on games or console. Reality. I know you wish your take means something but it doesnt. People dont care, they will buy what they want.

This is really the truth of it. Many people who are emotionally invested in Nintendo (grew up playing their other devices) have plenty of money to spend, and they will justify to themselves why it's worth it to drop this sort of cash on a device powered like a PS4 with an LCD screen and overpriced games. Of course it's not good value, but that's not the point.

 

[airbornex]

$80 for games, $450 for the console, $10 to learn how to use it… and by 2026 they’ll charge $5 to unlock the power button. Nintendo really speedrunning the microtransaction economy.

 

[EvilRebar]

My friends with kids (and many without) will buy this even if it goes to $600 with $100, games. The kids demand the IP.

It's wild to see people complaining about $80 games and $450 console. SNES games sold for $60-70+ (so $160+ in 2025 money) and the console was..$199 or...$460 in today's dollars.