The dollar and yen quickly came into focus when Nintendo released a comprehensive presentation about the hyped console last week.
Both games and consoles are expected to be around 50 percent more expensive than when the first Switch was released in 2017. In Sweden, it is possible to pre-order the release title "Mario Kart World" for a preliminary 999 kronor – and the console for around 6,800 kronor.
Nintendo is completely ruthless this time when it comes to making money, both when it comes to the console but especially the software, says Serkan Toto at the game consulting firm Kantan Games.
But hardly had Nintendo presented its prices before the USA announced its plans for tariffs. If they are driven through, it could be a hefty blow for Nintendo, which has manufacturing in China and Vietnam threatened with tariffs of up to 104 and 46 percent, respectively.
Stopped bookings
After the announcement, Nintendo stopped pre-orders of Switch 2 in the USA. Probably, there is full panic at the headquarters in Japanese Kyoto, believes Toto.
I think it will end with them presenting a new date with higher prices for accessories and especially the consoles. I don't think they have room to raise the prices for the games.
Serkan Toto believes that Microsoft and Sony will follow Nintendo and raise the prices of games and hardware.
They have a good excuse with the tariffs, and then they add a few percent and blame it on inflation. Everything will become more expensive, he says.
Expensive "GTA" awaits
It has previously been speculated that the upcoming major title "GTA VI" will set a new price standard. Toto also believes this.
I would die of shock if the basic version of the game was released for just 70 dollars, says Toto.
Previously, it was an established truth that console prices decrease as they age. But the semiconductor shortage and inflation have made prices for the previous generation remain still – or even increase. But how much can buyers take? Toto believes that Switch 2 will sell worse than its predecessor.
Nintendo is a company for the broad masses. Their target group is families, children, and ordinary players. With that said, they have many fans around the world, so I think Switch 2 will sell well for one to two years. My concern is what happens afterwards, when they have to reach a broader audience.
Nintendo's next console, Switch 2, has a 7.9-inch LCD screen in full HD. In handheld mode, the frame rate can be 120 images per second.
The processor and graphics card come from Nvidia and are said to have ray tracing and AI technology for upscaling (DLSS), and be ten times more powerful than the predecessor. The console has a built-in memory of 256 gigabytes.
Among the games released on the console are "Mario Kart World", "Cyberpunk 2077", "Split Fiction", "Elden Ring", "Civilization VII", "Hades 2", IO's upcoming Bond game, and From Software's "The Duskbloods".
Switch 2 is released on June 5. The recommended price in kronor and euro has not yet been revealed.
Sources: Nintendo and Nvidia
