Nintendo isn't planning a price hike for Switch
Nintendo isn't planning a price hike for Switch
Nintendo joins Microsoft in ruling out a price increase for its hybrid console
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Switch price hike
⛔ Nintendo has said it won’t be raising the price of the Switch after Sony announced a PS5 price hike
🙏 Nintendo said, “we currently do not have any plans to change the price of our hardware due to inflation or increased procurement costs”
🤏 The Japanese company is planning to tackle shipping costs by shrinking the console’s retail box
💚 Nintendo’s announcement follows Microsoft’s, which also said it wouldn’t be increasing the price of the Xbox Series X|S
Nintendo has moved to reassure fans that it won’t be raising the price of the Nintendo Switch in response to Sony’s recent PS5 price increase.
In a statement to Eurogamer, Nintendo reiterated that it had “no plans to increase the trade price of its hardware” but didn’t completely dismiss the possibility of a price hike in the future.
“As our president Mr Furukawa stated at the 82nd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in June:
“‘While we cannot comment on pricing strategies, we currently do not have any plans to change the price of our hardware due to inflation or increased procurement costs in each country. We will determine our future pricing strategies through careful and continued deliberations.’
“While the final price to consumers is always determined by retailers, as Mr Furukawa stated, Nintendo has no plans to increase the trade price of its hardware.”
The Nintendo Switch currently retails for $299.99, while the Switch Lite and Switch OLED price is $199.99 and $349.99, respectively.
Nintendo’s stance is the same as Microsoft, which also said it has no plans to raise the Xbox Series X|S price. That means Sony is currently the only console manufacturer of the big three to raise its prices, something which has never happened before in previous console generations.
The PS5 price is increasing in select markets, except the US, with Japanese consumers having to pay 21% more from September 16. Europeans will pay 10% more for Sony’s console, while the UK is subjected to a 5% price increase. Sony has blamed the price hike on “high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends.”
Instead of raising the price of its console, Nintendo is planning to shrink the size of the console’s box so it can fit more units into each shipment, thus getting more bang for its buck. The company has previously said it wants to avoid “pricing people out,” and said it wouldn’t increase the Nintendo Switch price “at this point.”