Nintendo has never been known for high-performance hardware, but that certainly hasn’t hurt its bottom line—especially in the Switch age. The company’s decision to use more basic components for the Switch back in 2017 helped keep the console cheaper than any of its competitors. It’s tough to get too hung up on the lack of 4K 60fps support when you can play the latest Zelda on a handheld that can cost less than $200.
But lo, a new Switch is here, and with it, a new price. The Switch 2 is, indeed, a more powerful version of the Switch, and comes with a number of advantages: a larger 1080p HDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a dock equipped with a fan to support 4K 60fps gameplay, magnetic Joy-Cons with a “mouse mode” for tabletop controls, among other neat perks. Of course, Nintendo isn’t giving those perks away for free, nor is it offering the Switch 2 at the same price as the Switch 1. If you want to order Nintendo’s latest console, you’re going to have to pay more—for everything.
How much does the Switch 2 cost?
The Switch 2 retails for $449.99. If you want the bundle that comes with a digital copy of Mario Kart World, that costs $499.99. That isn’t cheap, especially when you can pick up a Switch OLED right now for $250. The original Switch retailed for $299.99 too, though that’s roughly equal to $390 when adjusting for inflation, so the difference isn’t quite so dramatic.
We’ll likely never know exactly what went into the pricing decision for the new Switch, but it’s certainly possible tariffs played a big role. The Switch 2 sold in Japan, for example, costs 49,980 yen, which is just over $333 today. The Mario Kart bundle is 53,980 yen, or roughly $360—still cheaper than the original Switch’s MSRP in today’s money. Ouch.
How much are Switch 2 games?
There’s a $50 difference between the standalone Switch 2 and the Mario Kart World bundle, so you might imagine that’s what the game costs. Unfortunately, no: Mario Kart World is actually $80. Not all games may cost this much, however. According to Geoff Keighley, Donkey Kong Bananza retails for $70. These are the only two games with retail prices, so we’ll have to see how Nintendo handles MSRPs with future games. (While we don’t know the exact prices, we do know a lot of the games launching for Switch 2.)
However, physical games might actually cost more. Reports show that Nintendo’s European versions of Mario Kart World cost €79.99 for a digital copy, but €89.99 for the physical cart. $90 for a physical game card seems astronomical. We’ll need to wait and see if Nintendo rolls out any other pricing information.
Switch 2 accessories
Nintendo’s official Switch 2 accessories page is live, which means we can see all the MSRPs for the console’s newly-announced add-ons. Here’s what you can expect to pay for each:
Switch 2 Pro Controller: $79.99
Left and Right Joy-Con 2 controllers: $89.99
Joy-Con 2 charging grip: $34.99
Joy-Con 2 strap: $12.99
Joy-Con 2 wheel (two-pack): $19.99
Switch 2 camera: $49.99
Switch 2 dock: $109.99
Switch 2 carrying case (with screen protector): $34.99
Switch 2 all-in-one case: $79.99
Switch 2 AC adapter: $29.99
