Nintendo Switch 2 Price - Everything We Know

The Nintendo Switch 2 will be a direct follow-up to what is likely Nintendo’s most successful console of all time when it releases later this year. Only one problem though… we don’t know the price yet.
When the Switch 2 was initially revealed, Nintendo only showed off the console’s design and a few smaller details. There was no mention of a release date or price, just a general 2025 timeframe and a promise for more information in April. Thanks to the cost of other hardware currently available and insight from industry professionals, we might have an early look at the Switch 2’s launch cost.
What Will the Nintendo Switch 2 Cost?
Based on the current landscape of consoles and general gaming hardware, the Nintendo Switch 2 will likely launch with a base price of $399 in the United States, though that is speculation at time of writing.
The original Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017 for $299, followed by the Switch Lite in September 2019 for $199 and the Switch OLED in July 2021 for $350. As of September 2024, all combined models of the Switch have shipped 146 million units globally, making it the third best-selling gaming console of all time, right behind the Nintendo DS at 154 million and PlayStation 2 at over 160 million.
Nintendo is very focused on nailing the right price point for its systems as a business, especially in the Switch era of consoles. When the company launched the Switch Lite in 2019, its goal was to hit a sub-$200 price for more casual gamers who might not care about the most advanced technology or could “be attracted by rival services that don’t require a dedicated machine,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
With the Switch 2, Nintenod likely wants to hit a price that places it in a position to fit that same mix of casual and hardcore gaming audiences, which means competitive pricing in a market that is much different for handheld consoles than in 2017.
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In a breakdown by IGN’s Rebekah Valentine, multiple industry analysts listed Nintendo’s “sweet spot” for Switch 2 pricing being that $400 mark based on what the company has already shown. That will put it $100 under the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X on the console ladder, though that likely isn’t where Nintendo is focused.
Nintendo might not as worried about competing against the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, as the real danger to the Switch 2’s market share comes from gamers who now have a Steam Deck or other PC handheld. When the original Switch launched, there were very few devices that gave users console-quality gaming on the go with ease, though now it is widely available in multiple shells more powerful than the Switch, and potentially the Switch 2.
“Core gamers are harder to please than more casual gamers and the general public. Other portable companion devices like the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally likely have more processing power than the Switch 2, and core gamers will draw these comparisons,” MIDiA analyst Rhys Elliott said. “I expect many of these vocal-minority gamers will buy the Switch 2 nonetheless. And they are not even Nintendo’s main target audience here – families and more casual players are.”
Depending on the configuration, a base LCD Steam Deck comes in at $399 from Valve, while an early model of the Asus ROG Ally will run users $499. The newer or enhanced versions of these PC handhelds skyrocket costs to $500 minimum, which gives Nintendo a clear goal to undercut if it wants to entice the most users.
There are other factors, such as Nintendo being almost solely a gaming company, giving a chance that the Switch 2 will cost more than $400, especially if the company thinks there will be enough demand for its hardware and associated IP.
"If the Switch 2 is supply-constrained at launch, Nintendo could charge more," Elliott said to IGN. "Early adopters would be willing to pay for it, and if it's going to sell out anyway, Nintendo might think, 'Why not?' I think Sony and Microsoft regret releasing the base PS5 and Series X consoles at $500. Both could have got away with $600 or more at launch. Also, Nintendo, unlike the other platform holders almost wholly relies on its console business, so it cannot as easily take big loss-leading risks on pricing (the console itself would need to be profitable, not just offset by software sales)."
We should learn more about the actual release date and price for the Switch 2 during April’s Nintendo Direct, but until then, this analysis and speculation is all we have to go on.