Time is running out to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 before its price jumps on September 1

[Boar]

Nintendo's plan to raise the price of the Switch 2 from 450 dollars to 500 dollars takes effect on September 1, giving prospective buyers only a narrow window left to lock in the console's original launch price before the increase actually lands. The change, announced back in May, marks a fairly unusual move for a company that has historically kept console pricing stable for years after launch, and it arrives at a moment when the Switch 2 is already firmly established as the fastest selling console launch in Nintendo's entire history.

According to Nintendo's most recent financial disclosures, cumulative Switch 2 sales have now reached 23.68 million units worldwide, a genuinely remarkable pace for a console barely more than a year removed from its original launch. The original Switch, by comparison, has sold roughly 156.59 million units across its own considerably longer lifespan, giving a real sense of the scale Nintendo is ultimately chasing with its newer hardware even as the current generation continues to sell at an unusually rapid clip relative to historical norms for the company.

The hardware itself represents a substantial generational leap over its predecessor on nearly every meaningful spec, featuring a larger 7.9 inch display running at 120Hz, 12GB of RAM compared to just 4GB on the original model, and 256GB of internal storage versus a comparatively meager 32GB at original launch. Native 4K output when docked, improved Joy-Con controllers, and meaningfully faster loading times round out a genuinely comprehensive upgrade package, even though the larger size and increased overall power do come with real, tangible tradeoffs in the form of reduced portability and shorter battery life compared to the original, smaller Switch.

On the software side, Nintendo used its most recent earnings update to reconfirm release windows for several major upcoming first party titles while also teasing a broader wave of third party releases heading into the back half of 2026 and beyond, including Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4, 007 First Light, and a Final Fantasy VII Revelation entry, alongside the previously announced Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time remake still slated for release later this year. Recent leaked images of a Zelda themed limited edition console and matching Pro Controller, tied to the franchise's upcoming fortieth anniversary celebrations, suggest Nintendo has additional hardware variants planned around that specific launch as well.

For anyone who has been on the fence about picking up the console, the calculation is now fairly straightforward. The current generation lineup keeps expanding rapidly with increasingly strong third party support that the original Switch console notably struggled to attract during its own comparable early years, and buying before September 1 saves a genuine 50 dollars off the console's price alone before any accessories or games even factor into the total cost.

Nintendo Switch 2 Price Increase August 2026 - Forbes Vettedwww.forbes.com