'The Switch 2 is set to follow in Sony and Microsoft’s footsteps with its own price hike' — possible bad news for Nintendo's red-hot console, but there's a silver lining

Last year's trend of increasing prices isn't going away, and a research firm predicts that Nintendo will hike the price of the Switch 2 in 2026.

A 10 predictions for 2026 blog post from the video game analyst company Niko Partners laysout its belief that the Nintendo Switch 2 will see a global price increase this year.

The prognostication notes that the Switch 2 is currently competitively priced compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, especially after those consoles saw multiple price increases last year.

Switch 2 price increase prediction

"We believe the Switch 2 is set to follow in Sony and Microsoft’s footsteps with its own price hike driven by the impact from tariffs, increased memory costs, and broader macroeconomic conditions," the post reads.

Niko Partners goes on to note that Nintendo declined to raise prices when it launched the Switch 2 despite the fluctuating tariffs that hit countries where Nintendo manufacturers its consoles, including China and Vietnam.

However, the ongoing RAM crisis is pushing the price of memory and storage, which Nintendo may not be able to ignore. Niko Partners predicts that Nintendo might drop the standalone $449 console in favor of the more expensive $499 bundle or a "higher bundle SKU instead."

Nintendo president admits prices aren't working

Last week, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa admitted that the Switch 2 already has a lower profit margin than the original Switch. The current 15% tariff on Japan has already had the company projecting billions of yen in losses to start the year.

He noted that the company is closely monitoring the RAM situation. Like many companies, Nintendo has built up a stockpile of console components.

“We procure from suppliers based on our medium- to long-term business plans, but the current memory market is very volatile,” Furukawa said. “There is no immediate impact on earnings, but it is something we must monitor closely.”

Furukawa didn't rule out raising prices, though he said the company is trying to get people to adopt the new console, a hard ask when people don't want to, or can't, pay your asking price.

Meanwhile, the console may not have seen a price bump, but accessories for it and the original Switch did get more expensive in August last year.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

• The best thing I bought with my own money this year was the Nintendo Switch 2, and it's not even close
• Nintendo Switch Online has reignited my passion for retro games — and I can't get enough
• I played the Switch 2 with AR glasses — here's what it's like to race Mario Kart World on a 135-inch screen in front of your face