Don't Wait To Buy A Nintendo Switch 2 - Here's Why

If you're still enjoying your old Nintendo Switch and see no need to upgrade to the Switch 2 for now, you might want to rethink that strategy. According to a report by Bloomberg, Nintendo is thinking of raising the price of its latest hybrid console, which launched on June 5, 2025, and currently costs $449. This is a response to the AI-driven chip shortage that could see the prices of TVs, smartphones, computers, consoles, and other RAM-dependent devices go up.

The Switch 2 needs 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and with no signs of what the industry is calling the "RAMmagedon" easing up, you may not have a lot of time to grab the Switch 2 at the current price. A report by CNBC also revealed that Nintendo's share price fell by 10% in early February 2026 after the company missed its quarterly revenue projections. Despite this, its revenue grew by 86%, but the RAM shortages pose another challenge for Nintendo in 2026. Its President, Shuntaro Furukawa, showed concern about the profitability of the Switch 2 if RAM prices continue on their upward trend.

In an interview with The Game Business, prominent industry analyst Matthew Ball said the price increase has secretly taken effect with the discontinuation of the $499 Nintendo Switch 2 + "Mario Kart World" bundle in December 2025. According to Ball, "Nintendo terminated the Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart after three to four months. That's really early. And I suspected it is primarily a DRAM thing. It's $449 for the Switch 2. It's $80 for Mario Kart."

Ball said that Nintendo has "done a price increase for the 85% of customers that buy Mario Kart. They now have to spend $30 more. That's getting close to a 10% increase." So if you were hoping to get the bundle to save on "Mario Kart World," you're already out of luck. As for what the new price of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be, a January 2026 report by research firm Niko Partners predicts it will get a $50 price increase.

The Bloomberg report also stated that Sony might delay the release of the PlayStation 6 to 2028 or 2029 due to the skyrocketing price of RAM chips. Another concern is the Steam Machine, a PC/console hybrid announced by Valve, the makers of the Steam Deck. It's expected to be released in 2026, but since consoles are among the gadgets that will increase in price due to RAM shortages, there's concern that it won't launch with competitive pricing.