"These now-routine price increases are a marked change from a decades-long period where game consoles routinely and quickly dropped in price in the years after their launch. Even before recent component shortages, though, a combination of higher-than-normal inflation, the slowing of Moore's Law, tariff-related market shocks, and spiking gas prices have made the once-reliable console price drop a fading market memory."
"In updated financial forecasts also released today, Nintendo cited "the impact of these price revisions" in projecting sales of 16.5 million Switch 2 units in the current fiscal year (ending March 2027). That's down from 19.86 million sales in the console's first fiscal year, but it still "represents a solid level of adoption for Nintendo Switch 2 in its second year after launch," the company wrote."
"Outside of the US, Nintendo announced the following new hardware prices for other markets: Canada: $679.99 (from $629.99) Europe: €499.99 (from €469.99) Japan: ¥59,980 (from ¥49,980 - effective May 25)"
Game console price increases mark a shift from decades when consoles routinely and quickly fell in price after launch. Higher-than-normal inflation, slower progress under Moore’s Law, tariff-related market shocks, and spiking gas prices have reduced the reliability of post-launch price drops. Nintendo’s updated forecasts cite the impact of revised pricing in projecting 16.5 million Switch 2 units for the fiscal year ending March 2027. This is lower than 19.86 million units in the console’s first fiscal year, but still indicates solid adoption in the second year after launch. Nintendo also set new hardware prices outside the US: Canada $679.99, Europe €499.99, and Japan ¥59,980 effective May 25.
Read at Ars Technica
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