TL;DR: Nintendo is warning shoppers September 1 (US $449.99 → $499.99), with smaller increases in Canada and Europe; Nintendo cites rising memory costs, gave 115 days’ notice, and says it will still absorb some costs.
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Nintendo is now warning shoppers about the upcoming Switch 2 price increase directly on in-store demo kiosks, with a message appearing between demo sessions at retailers like Walmart. The notice reads: “The suggested retail price of the Nintendo Switch 2 system will increase to $499.99 on September 1. Actual price may vary.”
The increase takes the Switch 2 from $449.99 to $499.99 in the US, from $629.99 to $679.99 in Canada, and by €30 to €469.99 in Europe. Japan has already seen the new prices take effect. Nintendo announced the change back on May 8, giving US buyers 115 days of notice before the September 1 effective date.
When PlayStation last raised the PS5 price, it gave buyers six days’ notice, and Xbox gave 37 days. Neither offered the kind of extended runway Nintendo has given here, and neither went to the effort of putting the warning on store kiosks where undecided buyers would actually see it. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa also publicly apologised for the increase when it was announced.
The reason behind the hike is the same one behind most hardware price increases right now. The memory crisis has pushed up component costs across the board, and Nintendo has said it will continue absorbing some of those costs even at the new price. The $50 increase is also notably smaller than the $90 PS5 hike and the $150 Xbox increase that preceded it.
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Question #1
When did Nintendo announce the Switch 2 price increase and how many days’ notice did US buyers receive before the September 1 change?
Nintendo announced the Switch 2 price increase on May 8. US buyers received 115 days’ notice before the September 1 change.
Answered
Question #2
What wording appears on in-store demo kiosks informing shoppers about the September 1 price increase?
The notice on in-store demo kiosks reads: “The suggested retail price of the Nintendo Switch 2 system will increase to $499.99 on September 1. Actual price may vary.”
Answered
Question #3
How does the Switch 2’s $50 price increase compare to recent PS5 and Xbox price hikes mentioned in the article?
The Switch 2’s $50 increase is notably smaller than the recent hikes for Sony and Microsoft: the PS5 was raised by $90 and Xbox increased by $150. Nintendo’s $50 rise therefore represents the smallest of the three increases.
Answered
Question #4
Are retailers like Walmart displaying the kiosk warnings, and what context in the article indicates where shoppers are seeing them?
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With Switch 2 now at 23.68 million units sold worldwide as of June 30, and titles like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, and Switch Sports Resort still to come, there is no shortage of reasons to pick one up before the price goes up.
