Research firm warns gamers to expect a 'global' Nintendo Switch 2 price hike
  • Nike Partners predicts that the Nintendo Switch 2 will receive a price hike in 2026
  • It comes as costs increase due to tariffs, the RAM shortage, and more
  • Competing consoles have already received big price increases

Market research firm Niko Partners is predicting that the Nintendo Switch 2 "will see a global price hike" in 2026.

This comes as part of the company's latest report on the ten major trends to watch in 2026. The company highlights the fact that the Nintendo Switch 2, which currently costs $449.99 / £395.99, is currently very competitively priced compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, particularly after they both received price rises last year.

Unfortunately, this is not likely to last thanks to the impact of tariffs and the ongoing RAM shortage, which has pushed the prices of vital components up across the board, increasing manufacturing costs. This is in addition to "broader macroeconomic conditions" globally.

Niko Partners does highlight the fact that Nintendo chose to maintain the $449.99 / £395.99 price tag throughout last year despite the introduction of tariffs, but this seems unlikely to continue as costs continue to mount up.

There is a small ray of hope, though. Although a price rise is expected, the firm posits that Nintendo may opt to simply discontinue the $449.99 / £395.99 package and sell the more expensive $499.99 / £429.99 bundle, which includes a copy of Mario Kart World, instead.

Could now be the best time to buy a Nintendo Switch 2? It's certainly possible if you want to avoid the chance of having to pay more down the line.

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Source: TechRadar