We talked a lot about the Nintendo Switch 2 this week — and for good reason. Between the announcement of the Star Fox remake and the matching plush toys, the mood was celebratory. And then Nintendo decided to ruin the buffet.

On May 8, 2026, shortly after publishing its financial results, the Kyoto-based company announced a worldwide price increase for the Switch 2. In Europe, the console will rise from €469.99 to €499.99 starting September 1, 2026. Thirty extra euros, sold without a game included, pushing it past the symbolic €500 mark.

Record profits, higher prices

That’s where things start to sting. Nintendo did not announce this increase after a bad year — quite the opposite. During fiscal year 2025-2026, the company nearly doubled its revenue, reaching around €13.2 billion, with net profit up by 52%. The Switch 2, launched in June 2025, has already sold close to 20 million units. Nintendo is doing just fine, thank you very much. The official explanation politely mentions “changing market conditions” — in other words, rising component costs and global geopolitical tensions, including U.S. tariffs... suuuuuure.

And what about the games?

The console alone is one thing. But we all know it: a console without games is still just a nice-looking box. First-party Switch 2 titles are priced around €79.99, and Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions are also increasing — for now only in Japan, but Europe is watching closely. So expect to spend around €600 to get started properly. That’s about what a PS5 cost a few years ago, as many players have pointed out on forums — and they’re not entirely wrong.

The window to buy at the current price

The good news, if we can call it that: Nintendo announced the increase four months in advance. The console will remain available at €469.99 — or even less from some retailers — until August 31, 2026. For those still hesitating, this might be the best time to decide. And if emulation is enough for you for now, Recalbox will keep running your classics without asking too many questions about pricing.

Sources: Nintendo-Difference, Jeuxvideo.com, Switch-Actu, King of Geek