Between tariffs, uncertain economic conditions, and the rising cost of RAM, it seems likely that the gaming industry will face price increases in the coming months. According to analysts at Niko Partners, even Nintendo might not escape these pressures. They believe the Kyoto-based company could be forced to raise the global price of the Nintendo Switch 2 during 2026.
The reasons behind this prediction are the same affecting the rest of the console market — including Sony and Microsoft. These factors include higher memory prices, new tariffs, and broader economic challenges.
Could the Memory Crisis Cause a Price Hike?
“The Nintendo Switch 2 is competitively priced compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, after the latter consoles witnessed price hikes last year,” the report explains. “But 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.”
Niko Partners also noted that Nintendo decided to launch the Switch 2 at $449 in the United States, despite increased production costs caused by tariffs in China, Japan, and Vietnam. The recent rise in memory component prices might be the final push that forces Nintendo to adjust the retail price during the console’s first year.
The report continues, “Nintendo chose to maintain its $449 entry price last year despite the introduction of tariffs impacting production in China, Japan and Vietnam. More recently, increased demand for AI data centers has pushed RAM and storage prices up. While we do anticipate Nintendo to increase the price of the Switch 2, they may opt to discontinue the $449 SKU and only sell a $499 or higher bundle SKU instead.”
Recently, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about a possible price hike due to the memory shortage. While he avoided giving a direct answer, he seemed calm about the company’s current position — suggesting that Nintendo is monitoring the situation closely before making any final decisions.
