Why Switch 2 Is More Expensive, According To Nintendo

The Switch 2's price was recently announced, and the $450 price tag was higher than some anticipated. It could grow higher still due to US President Donald Trump's controversial tariffs. Now, Nintendo's Bill Trinen and Doug Bowser have defended and explained the price point.

Trinen told IGN, "Obviously, the cost of everything goes up over time, and I personally would love if the cost of things didn't go up over time." The Switch 2 has "new features and new tech," and this carries a cost, Trinen said.

"We look at what is the experience on Nintendo Switch? What's the experience on Nintendo Switch 2? What are the new features that it offers? And certainly there's the cost of goods and things that factor into that, but we try to find the right appropriate price for a product based on that," he said.

Bowser, meanwhile, told The Verge that Trump's April 2 tariff announcements were "not factored into the price itself" of the Switch 2. Two days after Nintendo revealed the Switch 2's price, the company delayed preorders in the US in an effort to "assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

Many are speculating that Nintendo is going to raise the price of the Switch 2 due to the tariffs, though this remains to be seen. The system remains set for release on June 5.

Bowser went on to say the Switch 2's bigger screen, better specs, new features like GameChat, and more contributed to the "consideration of the price."

One analyst believes tariffs may play a role in the higher price, but a more apparent reason for the increased price is simply because Nintendo can. "Nintendo is charging this price because they feel they can and that people will pay," analyst Serkan Toto said. Toto said this, however, prior to Nintendo's announcement of delaying Switch 2 preorders specifically due to tariffs.

Switch 2 games are more expensive, too, with launch title Mario Kart World coming in at $80 USD. For that game, Nintendo said it will use the upcoming Nintendo Direct broadcast on April 17 to demonstrate the value and appeal of the game.

You can also read GameSpot's hands-on previews of the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World.