Nintendo Increases Switch 1 Prices, Challenging Sales as Switch 2 Becomes Widely Available

You know that feeling when you’re just getting comfy with something, and BOOM — price hikes hit you out of nowhere? Yeah, that’s what Nintendo just pulled. The U.S. is getting a not-so-fun surprise with bumps in the costs of their original Switch models, some Switch 2 accessories, and — why not — the quirky Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo. Starting August 3, 2025, their excuse is “market conditions.” Whatever that means. At least they’re not touching the Switch 2 itself, the games, or the memberships. Yet. They might later, because “price adjustments may be necessary.” Oh joy.

Anyway, here’s the damage:

– Nintendo Switch: Was $299.99, now $339.99. That’s a $40 jump.
– OLED Model: From $349.99 to $399.99. Hello, $50 increase.
– Switch Lite: Now $229.99, which is $30 more.
– Sound Clock: Alarmo went up by $10 (if that bothers anyone).

What’s odd? Normally companies drop older model prices when the new shiny toys come out. The Switch 2 is doing great, so why jack up the older stuff? Maybe it’s the economic chaos these days, or Trump-era tariffs haunting us like a bad hangover. Even Canada isn’t dodging this bullet.

If you’re looking at the new price tags, the smart move seems — uh, maybe? — spend a bit more for the Switch 2 at $449.99. You get the beefed-up performance and big screen. No OLED there, though. And the new handheld uses these fancy microSD Express cards for more games. Hard to find and pricey, but if you stumble upon one, your game load times will thank you.

Oh, and no, this isn’t like the PlayStation 5 disaster. Scalping horrors won’t haunt you. The Switch 2’s all over store shelves, begging to be picked up. So, if you’re itching to upgrade, go ahead.

And hey, if you’re craving even more Nintendo buzz, Tom’s Hardware is streaming all the news and reviews. Just hit that Follow button over on Google News. Or don’t. I mean, it’s up to you.