How Does Switch 2’s Price Compare to the Cost of Other Nintendo Consoles at Launch? Spoiler: It’s Not the Most Expensive

When the Nintendo Switch 2’s $450 USD terms was announced it turned heads fixed this is simply a bigger sticker terms past we’ve travel to expect from Nintendo successful the past. However, with the emergence successful accumulation costs and different economical uncertainties similar tariffs, analysts did foretell the Switch 2 to outgo astir $400 USD astatine least.

Maybe the bigger daze was astir the outgo of Switch 2 games, which not lone deed the caller $70 USD modular for caller games but besides spell arsenic precocious arsenic $80 successful the lawsuit of games similar Mario Kart World. Add successful the further outgo of the assorted accessories if you privation the afloat Switch 2 acquisition and it each totals a hefty sum.

But if you set the motorboat outgo of erstwhile Nintendo consoles for inflation, however does Switch 2 stack up? And however does the Switch 2 terms besides comparison to different consoles? The results mightiness astonishment you...

Nintendo Switch 2 Price Vs Previous Nintendo Consoles

NES

The NES was released successful 1985 and was sold for $179 USD astatine launch. That sounds similar a bargain these days, but if you set the outgo for ostentation it would acceptable you backmost $523 USD successful 2025. Woof!

SNES

Nintendo followed it up successful 1991 with the SNES, which astatine the clip outgo $199 USD. It was $20 dollars much backmost past but taking into relationship the further ostentation betwixt the 2 motorboat years, it would outgo $460 USD successful 2025.

Nintendo 64

Nintendo’s large 3D gyration came erstwhile the Nintendo 64 was released successful 1996, which came successful astatine the aforesaid $199 terms constituent arsenic the SNES. However that’s $400 USD successful today’s presumption aft adjustments for inflation.

Nintendo GameCube

The Nintendo GameCube, whose games volition beryllium disposable connected the Switch 2 done the Nintendo Switch Online’s classical library, deed the shelves successful 2001 for $199 oregon $359 USD successful today’s dollars.

Wii

Nintendo’s bold adjacent measurement aft the GameCube was the motion-controlled Wii which went connected to go a planetary phenomenon. In 2006, the Wii deed shelves astatine $249 USD oregon astir $394 USD successful 2025.

Wii U

Nintendo wasn’t arsenic palmy with its follow-up the Wii U. It was released successful 2012 for $299 USD astatine motorboat oregon $415 USD successful 2025, making it person to the Switch 2’s pricing.

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo recovered its groove again with the Nintendo Switch, which volition spell down arsenic 1 of Nintendo’s most-successful consoles of each time. The strategy deed stores successful 2017 – astir 8 years agone – and retailed for $299 USD, oregon $387 USD successful today’s dollars, truthful inactive cheaper than Switch 2 erstwhile it hits the shelves connected June 5.

So determination you person it, the archetypal NES is the astir costly console Nintendo has ever launched if you set prices for inflation. Does that marque Switch 2's terms immoderate easier to swallow? Absolutely not.

Credit: IGN

But what astir the games?

While the Switch 2’s terms was mostly expected by analysts and different inclination watchers, the existent head-turner was Nintendo’s pricing connected games, which volition retail arsenic precocious arsenic $80 USD for Mario Kart World, portion others similar Donkey Kong Bananza are priced astatine $70 USD (or $65 digitally).

It’s hard to spot precisely however that compares to the earliest NES cartridges astatine motorboat due to the fact that dissimilar today, prices backmost past varied beauteous wildly from 1 crippled to the next. For example, successful the aboriginal 90s an NES crippled could outgo arsenic overmuch arsenic $45 USD, oregon $130 USD successful 2025, portion immoderate sold for arsenic small arsenic $34, oregon $98 USD aft adjusting for ostentation – which is inactive much than what Mario Kart World would outgo today. But galore are convinced that the outgo of games could summation further.

It's nary astonishment the Switch 2 hits the higher extremity of Nintendo's pricing, beaten lone by the NES and SNES. Real-world factors bash look to beryllium a large origin of this terms summation fixed that Nintendo announced a cheaper, region-locked Switch 2 for Japan, Nintendo's cardinal home market, for 49,980 JPY oregon $340 USD.

How Switch 2's Price Compares to Other Consoles

We did a akin outgo investigation erstwhile the terms for the PS5 Pro was announced, comparing the PS5 Pro to different Sony consoles. But however does Switch 2 stack up to immoderate different past consoles?

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 was released successful 2000 and is the biggest selling console of each time. It outgo $299 USD backmost past and now, adjusted for inflation, the PS2 would outgo $565 USD successful 2025!

Xbox 360

The Xbox follow-up was the company's most-successful console and was released successful 2005 for $299 USD, oregon astir $500 USD successful 2025.

Console prices set for inflation. The PS3 was ace expensive! Image credit: IGN

So that's however the Switch 2's terms stacks up against its predecessors and immoderate rivals. For more, cheque retired IGN's hands-on with the Switch 2 arsenic good arsenic games similar Mario Kart World. Also, cheque retired our chat with analysts connected conscionable wherefore precisely the Switch 2 and everything astir it costs truthful much.

Matt Kim is IGN's Senior Features Editor.