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The Nintendo Switch 2, or whatever it will officially be called, could have a higher price than the currently available Switch and Switch OLED. That wouldn’t be too surprising given that it’s supposed to be more powerful than the regular Switch. Back in September of last year, it was revealed through emails that surfaced as part of the Microsoft trial over its Activision Blizzard deal that Nintendo had already shared some details of the next-gen Switch console. Nintendo noted that it would have performance that was comparable to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
If accurate, that would be a significant bump in performance output compared to the current Switch. And that sort of increase in performance could justify Nintendo wanting to raise the price of the console. A new prediction from Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto suggests Nintendo will set the price of the Switch 2 at $400. That would be a $100 price bump over the original model. Toto’s predictions extend beyond the price of the console, too.
Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz for its annual Analyst Predictions piece, Toto commented on the price of games for Nintendo’s new Switch, as well as when he believes Nintendo plans to launch the console for consumers.
The price of Nintendo Switch 2 games could increase to $70
It seems Nintendo may be looking at more than just increasing the price of the Switch 2. Part of Toto’s predictions are that Nintendo may follow Sony, Microsoft, and PC games prices and raise Switch 2 game prices to $70. When it comes to new games, you will typically pay $70 for a new AAA title on both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X|S. Those same games will cost $70 on PC.
Nintendo has been the last holdout in terms of game prices from the last generation. Where its AAA games still launch at $60. Nintendo also rarely puts its games on sale though. Whereas both Sony and Microsoft discount their games fairly often.
Additionally, Toto suggests that Nintendo will release the Switch 2 sometime in 2024. This further corroborates previous rumors that Nintendo is looking to release the console this year. “I believe the next hardware will drop in 2024 for $400. There is a high chance that games will cost more, too: $70,” Toto said.
The Switch 2 will not revolutionize the market
In terms of what the Switch 2 will offer for features, Toto has predictions there as well. He says that he believes the Switch 2 will be “more like an iteration” as opposed to a revolution. This means the next Switch console might not be a vastly different offering that reinvents the wheel. Like the Switch was when Nintendo moved from the Wii U. Instead, it’s likely to come with a similar design that focuses more on performance improvements. Toto says that Nintendo “might add some bells and whistles” to it though.
The Switch 2 releasing this year would likely be a smart move for Nintendo. Back in August of last year, Nintendo announced that the Switch had finally surpassed the lifetime sales of the Wii. Despite this though, sales of the Switch are in decline. That could have a lot to do with the market being saturated. At this stage in the Switch’s lifespan, most people who want a Switch probably already have one. And it’s clear that it’s becoming harder and harder for Nintendo to capture more consumer interest in the console.
Nintendo says the Switch will still continue to receive software support into 2024 and beyond.