Gaming hardware is getting more expensive almost everywhere you look, and that's giving Nintendo an opening it hasn't had in years.
The Steam Deck launched at $399 in February 2022. The cheapest version Valve still sells now runs $789, more than double, as AI data centers soak up the processors, graphics chips, SSDs and RAM that also go into handhelds, laptops and phones. Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X, both six years old, cost noticeably more today than they did at launch too, according to Notebookcheck's tracking of the market.
Against that backdrop, the Nintendo Switch 2, which sells for $499 on Amazon, looks almost reasonable even after its own price increase, though it's still no bargain. Nintendo has already shown it's willing to chase budget buyers: in Europe it recently bundled the original, nearly decade-old Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for €199, about $220, even though that console gets few major new releases at this point.
A cheaper Switch 2 in the works?
Rumors that have circulated for months point to a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite built around a processor with similar power to the standard model but cheaper to manufacture. If Nintendo follows the playbook it used for the original Switch Lite, the new model would likely drop the detachable Joy-Con controllers and the TV dock entirely, and it could pair a smaller screen capped at 60Hz with just 128GB of storage to shave costs further.
None of that is confirmed by Nintendo, and no official pricing or launch window has been announced. But Notebookcheck's analysis floats a price near $299 for a device that could still run current Nintendo titles and ported blockbusters like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy, calling it a plausible way for Nintendo to turn the memory-price crunch into a selling point rather than a liability.
The outlet also raises the idea of Nintendo reviving its old Nintendo Selects program, which used to resell older first-party games at a discount, this time pricing them at $19.99 to $30 on a permanent basis rather than as a limited promotion. That would make catching up on games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Super Mario Bros. Wonder cheaper for anyone picking up a second console or returning to the platform after a gap.
Together, a lower-cost Lite model and permanently discounted classics would make the Switch 2 ecosystem more accessible to budget-conscious families just as rivals get pricier. Whether Nintendo actually takes that path, rather than protecting its margins, is still an open question, and there's no indication yet of when the company might say anything official about a Switch 2 Lite.
GDFiled by The Games Desk
Consoles, handhelds, PC gaming and the platforms and hardware behind them.
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