Sony just announced some hefty price increases on the PS Portal and PS5 consoles. The most extreme? The PS5 Pro getting hiked from $750 to $900, putting us daringly close to the world of $1000 consoles. The increase is being attributed to “continued pressures in the global economic landscape,” and follows a similar announcement from Xbox last year.
This build-up of price increases isn’t the greatest omen for pricing on upcoming hardware, like Valve’s currently MIA Steam Machine or Xbox’s Project Helix. But it also isn’t the greatest sign for pricing on recent console releases, like the Nintendo Switch 2.
Now Might Be the Best Time to Buy a Switch 2
Nintendo has been all over the place on pricing since the Switch 2 launched. Soon after announcing the new console, the U.S. announced massive tariffs on China, the primary hub of Switch 2 manufacturing. Nintendo responded by delaying the console’s preorder window in the U.S. to April 24. The console ended up staying at $449.99 in the U.S., primarily because Nintendo diversified their manufacturing to Vietnam.
That didn’t seem to address all of the company’s financial strains, however. In August of last year, Nintendo increased prices on the original Switch model and peripherals like the Joy-Con 2.
After reporting ‘weaker than expected’ sales performance for the Switch 2 over the holidays, the gaming giant announced they’re cutting down production on the console as a whole. Just this week, Nintendo confirmed a new pricing model for Switch 2 games. They were quick to clarify that physical editions aren’t getting more expensive, just that the digital versions are getting cheaper, but it’s no secret that physical Switch 2-exclusives like Mario Kart World rang in an era of more expensive games.
As yet another complication, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down last year’s tariffs as unlawful on February 26, opening the door for potential refunds. Nintendo was naturally ready to go to bat, and is now suing the U.S. government for a refund with interest.
So, what does that mean for the Switch 2 in 2026? Hopefully nothing. Wouldn’t that be great? It’s somewhat evident that Nintendo is adjusting pricing on everything around the Switch 2 to avoid making the call we’re all afraid of. However, the company also seems to be running out of options.
While there’s a possibility that the outcome of Nintendo’s litigation with the U.S. government has an impact on future pricing, the rising hardware prices are now largely tied to the demanding costs of AI development. Unfortunately, we’ve gotten no sign that’s going to improve any time soon.
$449 is still a lot of money, but as of next week, it’ll be exactly half as much as a PS5 Pro. While there’s always the hope that we get Switch 2 bundles on Black Friday or over the holidays, it’s most likely that price only gets higher.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
