‘We recognize there are some people that may not be able to afford [the Switch 2’s] price point…’ — President of Nintendo of America

Nintendo recently unveiled all the juicy details about their upcoming new console, the Switch 2. The console is set to be released on June 5, 2025. Originally, Nintendo intended to allow preorders starting on April 9, 2025, but these plans were delayed due to the potential tariff impact.

Oddly, they decided not to reveal the price of the hybrid device during their latest Nintendo Direct presentation, but fans were able to determine that the console is set to launch for $449.99 in the United States. Needless to say, this is an extremely high ask for even the most hardcore Nintendo fans.

To make matters worse, games like Mario Kart World are intended to be sold for $79.99, though most other games like Donkey Kong Bananza will be priced at $69.99.

Due to all of this, Nintendo’s pricing strategies for the Switch 2 has caused an uproar amongst the fanbase. All throughout the Nintendo Treehouse events that followed after the Switch 2 showcase, spectators would spam comments like “Drop The Price” into the chat.

Nintendo decided to stay silent on the matter for a period of time until Doug Bowser was finally pressed about the issue during an interview. It was during this exchange that the President of Nintendo of America mentioned that games will have “variable pricing” based on the “repeatability of gameplay experiences” associated with a given game.

Ultimately, Bowser declared that not every game will cost $79.99 like Mario Kart World. As of right now, they haven’t yet set a “benchmark” on what the average Nintendo Switch 2 game will cost.

During another interview with CBC, Bowser mentioned that he felt the price for the Switch 2 was “appropriate” considering what it offers.

“As we look at Nintendo Switch 2 and you think about the feature sets that I talked about… we believe that the pricing is appropriate for the value of the machine and the gameplay experience overall.” — Doug Bowser

“As we look at Nintendo Switch 2 and you think about the feature sets that I talked about… we believe that the pricing is appropriate for the value of the machine and the gameplay experience overall,” said Bowser on the matter.

However, Bowser also acknowledged that not everyone will be able to afford the Switch 2. He assured people that the Switch 2’s predecessor will still be supported for at least a little while after the launch of the new console.

“We recognize there are some people that may not be able to afford [the Switch 2’s] price point,” continued Bowser. “That’s why we wanted to make the other Switch platforms available, so [people] still have an opportunity to come into our gaming universe, be a part of these characters in these worlds, and see value, if you will, in whatever rung of the platform they come in.”

It’s been over eight years since the Switch originally launched back on March 3, 2017. Since then, the Switch has become the third-best selling gaming device with it selling over 150.86 million units worldwide.

“We recognize there are some people that may not be able to afford [the Switch 2’s] price point…” — Doug Bowser

Bowser was apparently unwilling to divulge Nintendo’s target numbers for the Switch 2, but he did say that Nintendo believes that the Switch 2 could become as successful as its predecessor someday. This implies that Nintendo holds a hope that all Switch owners are able to transition to the Switch 2 eventually.

For now, Nintendo has not yet revealed a new preorder date for the Switch 2 in the United States and Canada regions. There’s also an implication that the new console could have its price increased even higher due to the potential tariff concerns.

Although the United States has enacted a 90-day pause on most tariffs, Nintendo is likely having to review its strategies for future scenarios. It’s hard to imagine things going well if they decide to announce a new price for the Switch 2 considering all the controversy that’s already emerged.

Here’s hoping that things are able to somehow work themselves out for the better. We’ll just have to wait and see how things play out from here.