Amid speculation Nintendo might be considering a Switch 2 price hike following last week’s announcement of significant US trade tariffs, one analysis firm has told Eurogamer it expects the company to stick with its previously announced $450 launch price in the US – as it predicts Switch 2 will become the fastest-selling console ever.
Last week saw Nintendo make the unprecedented decision to delay Switch 2 preorders in the US just hours after announcing them, saying it was doing so “in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions”. More recently, Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser has admitted that while the Trump administration’s earlier trade tariffs weren’t a factor in determining Switch 2’s price point, the latest wave of tariffs – which have heavily impacted countries where much of Nintendo’s manufacturing is focused – create a “challenge”, and are “something [the company is] going to have to address.”
Some have speculated Nintendo might respond by raising Switch 2’s price in the US, despite the fact its existing $450 USD price tag has already seen a vocal pushback from fans. However, analyst David Cole, founder of games industry marketing and research firm DFC Intelligence, has told Eurogamer his firm sees a change in price as unlikely at launch. “We are expecting Nintendo to stick with the $450 price point,” Cole told Eurogamer, “and we believe that price point was reached with the threat of tariffs already looming.”
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However, in its initial Switch 2 guidance, DFC also suggests US trade tariffs – which include a 24 percent levy on Japanese goods – could lead to a 20 percent price increase for the console over the next two years. As such, it’s lowered its initial 2025 worldwide forecast for Switch 2 from 17m to 15m units sold. “If prices increase substantially due to tariffs,” it notes, “a significant portion of prospective buyers are likely to hold back on a purchase until prices come down.”