Nintendo Switch 2 price just tipped — and it could be a game changer

News
By Alyse Stanley
last updated

The latest rumor claims the Nintendo Switch 2 will cost $399, just $50 more than the Switch OLED

Nintendo Switch OLED held between two hands with one of the JoyCons being slid off
(Image credit: Nintendo)

New leaks about a successor to the Nintendo Switch have emerged hinting at a possible price point that's almost too good to believe. 

Several sources familiar with Nintendo's next-generation console plans claim the Nintendo Switch 2 will cost $399, noted tipster Zippo reports, as first spotted by Notebook Check. At $50 more than the Nintendo Switch OLED, that price point would make it among the most expensive Nintendo Switch console to date, but it would still come in $100 less than other current-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. 

According to the tipster, an unnamed insider at Nintendo has been pretty explicit with regard to the Switch 2's price tag, stating in no uncertain terms: 

"$399. That's the 'golden number' that they have in mind. It's the price that works in terms of the power of their new system, it's the price that works for them making a decent profit, and it's the price that they think works for the audience that they're trying to maintain. No more. No less."

Recent updates

Update August 14: A leaker says that a new Mario game is in the works for the Switch 2 using Unreal Engine 4. 

Granted, we'll have to take this with a grain of salt for now. For one, Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed a Switch successor is in the works, as the game maker's famously tight-lipped about upcoming hardware plans. But with the original Switch turning six years old earlier this year, not to mention it didn't exactly have cutting-edge hardware at launch in 2017, Nintendo is arguably well overdue for a new console. 

Secondly, Zippo is a bit of a controversial figure in the world of gaming rumors. As Notebook Check notes, the tipster has been banned from some Reddit groups for purportedly posting misleading and inaccurate information. 

Though it's worth noting Zippo's sources did echo a rumor from earlier this week that the Nintendo Switch 2 will stick with an LCD screen rather than upgrade to an OLED one. According to noted gaming tipster NateTheHate, the Switch 2 will pack a bigger 8-inch LCD display and 512GB of storage. 

The latter is promising news. Game file sizes only get larger with each generation, and it's already easy to fill a standard Switch up with the best Nintendo Switch games. But an LCD display for a next-generation Switch would be a step backward for Nintendo, especially when compared to the dramatic display improvements in terms of colors and contrast available on the Nintendo Switch OLED.

We may not have to wait long to learn more about Nintendo's plans for a Switch refresh, though. A slew of rumors make it seem increasingly likely we'll see the Switch 2 arrive sometime early next year. 

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Alyse Stanley
Alyse Stanley
News Editor

Alyse Stanley is a news editor at Tom’s Guide overseeing weekend coverage and writing about the latest in tech, gaming and entertainment. Prior to joining Tom’s Guide, Alyse worked as an editor for the Washington Post’s sunsetted video game section, Launcher. She previously led Gizmodo’s weekend news desk, where she covered breaking tech news — everything from the latest spec rumors and gadget launches to social media policy and cybersecurity threats.  She has also written game reviews and features as a freelance reporter for outlets like Polygon, Unwinnable, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. She’s a big fan of horror movies, cartoons, and miniature painting.

8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • sirsquishy67
    If this is true, they are competing with pricing on the Steamdeck and the ROG Ally and taking them as serious competition. If the OG Switch is going to continue to receive support through the eShop while the Switch2 ramps up, the pricing makes sense IMHO. But the question begs, if its 399 for a complete setup what about a 'console only' release so existing switch owners only need to upgrade the core system and keep the accessories? Assuming things like the JoyCons will work with the new revision.

    If Nintendo keeps a closed ecosystem going as they have with the current switch, I can't honestly say I will be buying a switch2 over an Ally at this point. Even at the 150-250 additional cost. Having the ability to connect to my gaming PC from the switch(CFW) has been an absolute game changer for all sorts of things, having access to a functioning browser, netflix, disney+, and Hulu(already part of the ecosystem) is a must have moving forward or I am just not interested in continuing with Nintendo past the OG swtich.
    Reply
  • Zero-0
    If it's not 4K, I'm not wasting my money. Games look terrible on my TV on the current Switch, even an upscaler can't make it look fairly decent. And they don't look much better natively on it's own screen, either. Anything else would be a rip-off, Nintendo isn't full of pixel games anymore and they need to recognize that and catch up with everything else out right now.
    Reply
  • joe.adspam
    sirsquishy67 said:
    If this is true, they are competing with pricing on the Steamdeck and the ROG Ally and taking them as serious competition. If the OG Switch is going to continue to receive support through the eShop while the Switch2 ramps up, the pricing makes sense IMHO. But the question begs, if its 399 for a complete setup what about a 'console only' release so existing switch owners only need to upgrade the core system and keep the accessories? Assuming things like the JoyCons will work with the new revision.

    If Nintendo keeps a closed ecosystem going as they have with the current switch, I can't honestly say I will be buying a switch2 over an Ally at this point. Even at the 150-250 additional cost. Having the ability to connect to my gaming PC from the switch(CFW) has been an absolute game changer for all sorts of things, having access to a functioning browser, netflix, disney+, and Hulu(already part of the ecosystem) is a must have moving forward or I am just not interested in continuing with Nintendo past the OG swtich.
    Why even consider a Switch 2 if you are more concerned about it's streaming capabilities whether video stream or PC stream through CFW if you don't care about 1st party games? Seems like the Ally is a better fit for you.
    Reply
  • mauwat
    $399 Will not work for the Next Version of the Nintendo Switch. This is what I suggest. $399 for Pro level 4K30-60fps with Nintendo Pro controller that can compete with the current gen so they don't get left too far behind. Make a Nintendo Switch 2 with at least Sony PS4 Pro or Xbox One X specs for $299. Last would be a Core upgrade system that would upgrade the Dock and Main unit like was mentioned in previous comments. The Core upgrade pack for a loyalty price of $199.
    Reply
  • joe.adspam
    mauwat said:
    $399 Will not work for the Next Version of the Nintendo Switch. This is what I suggest. $399 for Pro level 4K30-60fps with Nintendo Pro controller that can compete with the current gen so they don't get left too far behind. Make a Nintendo Switch 2 with at least Sony PS4 Pro or Xbox One X specs for $299. Last would be a Core upgrade system that would upgrade the Dock and Main unit like was mentioned in previous comments. The Core upgrade pack for a loyalty price of $199.
    Yeah, none of that is going to happen. If they haven't released a Pro version of the Switch by now then they are not going to release it to compete with the next generation console. It has been said that there were plans to release a Pro but the pandemic happened and that boosted Switch sales immensely. As for the "core" upgrade system, why in the World would they even consider this when they can sell you a whole new unit for more than that and people will pay for it. None of your suggestions make sense.
    Reply
  • GW43
    I honestly wouldn't have a problem with that pricing. If the successor actually ends up being on par with the PS4, then I am happy to pay the extra $50. I don't need them to do another OLED screen as long as the LCD is solid and not like the OG switch. You can get plenty of vibrant colors with a LCD.

    And I truly couldn't care less about 4k resolution. I think it's incredibly overhyped and I am much more interested in 60fps. If that can be achieved with at least the switch first party games I will be more than happy with 1080p 60fps.

    Considering how boring this gen has been with PS5 Series X, and how many games have been cross gen there will be plenty to port over to a switch 2 thats a PS4 level power. And we will see what the last 4ish years of the PS5 brings, but so far it has sat pretty dormant most of its life on my shelf.
    Reply
  • sirsquishy67
    joe.adspam said:
    Why even consider a Switch 2 if you are more concerned about it's streaming capabilities whether video stream or PC stream through CFW if you don't care about 1st party games? Seems like the Ally is a better fit for you.
    It's not about just streaming, its about Nintendo's Ecosystem. But sure, just focus on the streaming bit while ignoring the rest of what I said.
    Reply
  • sirsquishy67
    Zero-0 said:
    If it's not 4K, I'm not wasting my money. Games look terrible on my TV on the current Switch, even an upscaler can't make it look fairly decent. And they don't look much better natively on it's own screen, either. Anything else would be a rip-off, Nintendo isn't full of pixel games anymore and they need to recognize that and catch up with everything else out right now.
    I think 4K is expecting a bit much from Nintendo. They bought back into the ARM+Nvidia limited garbage and the SOC chosen might struggle at 1440p based on the GPU's silicon age and core count. If Nintendo adopts into USB4 with TB4 support maybe we can see a hybrid GPU+Dock combo, but knowing Nintendo they are planning a 2018 Circa SOC release in 2024...
    Reply