The global memory shortage and tariffs are two major headaches Nintendo can’t ignore.
Both factors threaten to push console prices even higher, and the Switch 2 could eventually feel the impact. In a recent interview with Kyoto Shimbun, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa opened up about the complicated landscape the company is navigating and how it might affect their business moving forward.
The big question everyone’s asking: is Switch 2 getting more expensive?
Furukawa made it clear they’re watching the memory shortage and price spikes closely. They’re also keeping tabs on tariffs, especially after the trade war Donald Trump kicked off last year.
Worth remembering that these tariffs already hit PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S prices hard. So far, Nintendo has only bumped up prices on Switch 2 accessories and the original Switch itself. Naturally, fans are worried the same fate awaits the Switch 2 or its game lineup.
Nintendo’s strategy against rising costs
Over the next few months, expect consumer tech products to get pricier thanks to memory scarcity and inflation.
Manufacturers are prioritizing one thing right now: AI data centers that power artificial intelligence development. This means consoles, PC components, TVs, phones, and other devices could see price increases soon.
During the Kyoto Shimbun interview, Furukawa acknowledged that the global memory crisis and tariffs are concerns they’re monitoring closely, given their massive impact across the industry. He was asked about the challenges they face considering Switch 2’s profit margin is lower than the original Switch’s.
The executive confirmed that both memory shortages and tariffs could become real problems for their business if things don’t improve. He clarified they have a mitigation plan: pushing component acquisition for the medium to long term.
He added that there’s no immediate impact on their earnings right now, but they’ll keep monitoring the situation because “the current memory market is very volatile“.
“Hardware profitability depends on factors like component procurement conditions, cost reductions through mass production, and the impact of exchange rates and tariffs. It’s difficult to generalize. Fundamentally, we aim to address this by advancing component procurement over the medium to long term“.
Will Switch 2 cost more?
Back in May 2025, Furukawa warned they’d increase prices if the tariff situation worsened.
Analysts predicted console prices could jump as much as 69%. PlayStation and Xbox consoles saw multiple price hikes last year, so there’s little hope Nintendo systems will dodge this bullet.
During the interview, Furukawa revealed that at the start of their fiscal year, they projected a negative impact of several tens of billions of yen on their results due to tariffs.
He refused to answer whether Switch 2 will get more expensive in the coming months, arguing it would be speculation based on multiple unpredictable factors. He suggested they’ll work to avoid it as much as possible.
“While it’s difficult to accurately gauge the future impact, our basic policy is to recognize tariffs as a cost and pass them on to prices as much as possible, not just in the US.
On the other hand, this is a crucial period for our game business as we promote the adoption of new hardware and maintain the momentum of our platforms. We are working on this while carefully considering the situation“.
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