Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pricing Will Hit Hard

Pricing for the Nintendo Switch 2 has proven to be mildly controversial. In reality, it’s the costing of everything around the console that should be raising eyebrows.

Right now you can jump onto Steam and buy a Deck from as little as £350. The OLED model with more than 500GB of memory costs £479. The Switch 2 console on its own is £395.99 (449.99 USD, 629.99 CAD) – although no doubt scalpers will be adding a pretty penny at launch.

I don’t think that’s too unreasonable a price for the Nintendo console. Sure, I’d rather get the Steam Deck. It can do more. Games will be cheaper and more varied. You have more control over just about everything. But for every positive point about it, it isn’t a Nintendo console, and that’s the end of the conversation for many. Fine.

In terms of power, it’s a fancy PS4. For what it’s doing that will be enough, and especially with additional features like DLSS. You’re paying for a PS4-level handheld, with the power to output at 4k. And again, that’s just fine.

Is it a guaranteed hit in a global market without much change to spare? No, and that’s probably why all of the pricing is where it is. Nintendo aren’t risking a penny. Everything has a value to them, and they expect you to pick up the cost. Want a guided tour of your console, similar to Astro’s Playroom, but with large blocks of text? Pull out your wallet.

And that’s where the real controversy around this console should like. The Switch 2 costs what a console costs. It’s once you’ve bought it that the real pain begins.

Switch 2 A Bigger Wallet

I first had the feeling that something was off during the group chat trailer. That camera peripheral, mixed with the fact that you had to have a Nintendo Sub to access the feature now permanently present on your controller. The grace period – surprisingly long – gives early buyers the opportunity to use the feature for free until March 31, 2026.

Then the paid Welcome Tour. Then Gamecube games, only on Switch 2 and with the + Expansion Pack sub. Don’t forget your new controllers and Amiibos. Switch upgrades? You have to pay for those too.

Let me be clear, none of these are surprising individually. But all together, and all within a single Direct? Add this to the Virtual Game Card DRM from last week, which seemed to be something of a mixed blessing.

And then we started talking about game prices. Players will be paying $80 for new first party Switch 2 games. There are rumours – unconfirmed – that physical cards will be more in some territories. Physical games may actually be “Game-key cards”, which will basically just trigger a download when inserted.

When I turned on my Series X, I had my Game Pass catalogue and a host of compatible titles upgraded and ready to go. When I turned on my PS5, I had the Plus Collection, some upgraded titles and Astro’s Playroom ready to go. If I were to buy a Nintendo Switch 2, I’d have a Nintendo Switch experience. Add in a pop-up advert to really hammer home the point.

Nintendo, ultimately, is a business, and don’t need to hand out freebies. Equally, we all get to decide the value proposition of any purchase. The harder Nintendo push, the less people will want to buy. It’s as simple as that.