Nintendo Says RAM Crisis Has ‘No Immediate Impact’ on Switch 2 Costs but Doesn’t Rule Out a Future Price Hike
The Nintendo Switch 2 won’t get more expensive because of rising RAM costs for now, but Nintendo is closely monitoring the situation. Pricing has been a bit of a contentious topic for the console, with fears around a tariff-induced price hike surrounding its release and many gamers criticizing the cost of its games, game upgrades, and accessories. Thankfully, it seems like the Nintendo Switch 2 will remain unaffected by broader market changes for now, but that doesn’t mean a future increase is off the table.
There’s been a lot of talk around rising prices since RAM costs began skyrocketing toward the end of 2025. As chipmakers like Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix diverted more memory to AI data centers and less to the gaming sector, RAM, SSD, and other component prices shot through the roof, with no signs of slowing. While the shortage has mainly affected PC gamers, there’s talk that Xbox and Sony may delay their next-gen consoles because of it, and now Nintendo has offered some clarity on how it’s approaching it all.
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Nintendo President Says Switch 2 Is Safe from Rising RAM Costs for Now
In an interview with Kyoto Shimbun, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa admitted the current RAM market is “volatile” but that it has “no immediate impact on earnings,” so the Switch 2 will stay the same price for now. While there were fears that Nintendo may pass higher RAM costs onto Switch 2 buyers, the company has avoided that for now because of its supply chain strategy. Furukawa explained that Nintendo orders parts and materials based on its medium-to-long-term projections, so it already had enough RAM on hand to weather the current storm. However, the president was also careful to say that things could change in the future.
Furukawa mentioned that Nintendo is closely monitoring the memory market because of its volatility at the moment. While he did not comment on whether the Switch 2 would get more expensive if costs reached a certain point, it’s safe to assume the company would at least consider it if it thinks RAM prices will get too high or stay expensive for too long. Its current safety stocks will eventually run out, and when they do, history suggests an increase could be in order. In Fall 2025, Nintendo raised the price of the original Switch, citing market conditions, which proves the Mario maker isn’t shy to bump things up when the economy gets tough.
Current signs don’t look promising for anyone hoping to buy a Switch 2 in the future. While there may not be a price hike for now, it appears that the memory crisis could persist for a while, which would increase the risk of Nintendo’s safety stocks running low. During its last earnings call, Micron said it expects the RAM shortage to last beyond 2026, as it will take time for production to catch up to surging demand. If the market remains tight for too long, it could prompt Nintendo to restrategize and raise Switch 2 costs to account for higher manufacturing expenses, even if it’s avoiding that in the short term.
RAM-related expenses may not be the only macroeconomic factor affecting Nintendo hardware down the line. Furukawa said the company is still looking at tariffs and how they could make things more expensive. Unfortunately for consumers, he also stated that Nintendo’s policy is to “recognize tariffs as a cost and pass them on to prices as much as possible,” which means higher costs on Nintendo’s end would almost certainly fall onto buyers. Notably, Nintendo raised some Switch 2 accessory prices just before the console’s release in the U.S. due to tariffs, so a hike on the system itself is never out of the question.
- Brand
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Nintendo
- Original Release Date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- Operating System
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Proprietary
- Resolution
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- HDR Support
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Yes
Source: Kyoto Shimbun