Switch 1 won’t die as Nintendo admits not all fans can afford Switch 2 Michael Beckwith Published April 8, 2025 10:49am Updated April 8, 2025 10:49am Will you be trading in your Switch 1 when the Nintendo Switch 2 comes out? (Nintendo) Although the Switch 2’s price tag is not necessarily its biggest problem, Nintendo has acknowledged that it’s too much for some people. The current console generation has been weird. Thanks to numerous factors, Sony and Microsoft couldn’t completely abandon the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for years, and even now plenty of developers continue to make games for the older systems. As such, despite the Nintendo Switch 2 being right around the corner, it wasn’t surprising to hear Nintendo confirm similar plans for the original Nintendo Switch console. This can partially be attributed to the Switch 1’s massive installed userbase, but Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has acknowledged that it’s also because of the Switch 2’s higher price point. According to Canadian outlet CBC, an attempt to question the console’s price during a media roundtable with Nintendo last Wednesday (the same day as the big Switch 2 showcase) was deflected by a moderator, who pushed for attendees to ask about ‘the fun stuff’ instead. However, Bowser was willing to touch upon the subject and while he believes the Switch 2’s price is appropriate, he knows it’s too high for some: ‘We recognise there are some people that may not be able to afford [the Switch 2’s] price point. ‘That’s why we wanted to make the other Switch platforms available, so [people] still have an opportunity to come into our gaming universe, be a part of these characters in these worlds, and see value, if you will, in whatever rung of the platform they come in.’ In a separate interview with The Washington Post, Bowser pointed out that the Switch 1’s install base is over 150 million units: ‘We want to keep those players engaged. Not all of them may be ready to jump to Switch 2.’ This is why Nintendo still has Switch 1 games scheduled for 2026, which it announced at a previous Nintendo Direct held last month. If it abandoned the Switch 1 entirely, it’d be needlessly cutting off a stream of revenue. Nintendo’s 2026 titles include a new Tomodachi Life (Nintendo) The price of the Switch 2 hasn’t been as controversial as Nintendo may have feared. £395.99 is fairly reasonable and what many estimated it would be. It’s the price of the games that has been the unwelcome surprise, with Mario Kart World going for as much as £75 for the physical edition. This so far seems to be the exception, since Donkey Kong Bananza and the first set of Switch 2 Edition games, are priced at £66.99 – but that’s still a noticeable leap compared to the price of Switch 1 games. Bowser told The Washington Post that this variable pricing is deliberate and that Nintendo is judging the price of its games on a case-by-case basis: ‘We’ll look at each game, really look at the development that’s gone into the game, the breadth and depth of the gameplay, if you will, the durability over time and the repeatability of gameplay experiences.’ More Trending However, all these comments from Bowser were made prior to the announcement of Donald Trump’s tariffs, which happened not long after the Switch 2 showcase wrapped up last Wednesday. Despite having been announced several weeks beforehand, Nintendo seemed ill-prepared for Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’, and subsequently had to delay pre-orders in the US (everywhere else is unaffected) and it’s speculated the company may bump up the Switch 2’s price as a result. Trump had already promised stronger tariffs against China, which prompted Nintendo to move some of its console production to Vietnam and Cambodia to get around it. However, Vietnam and Cambodia have now been hit with tariffs of 46% and 49% percent, respectively. In a more recent interview with Wired, Bowser said that the initial round of tariffs weren’t a factor in the Switch 2’s price tag, but Trump’s recent actions are a ‘challenge’, that are ‘something we’re going to have to address.’ The Switch 2 games are already pricey, but could the console get more expensive too? (Nintendo) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy