Nintendo has suggested it’s preparing to raise prices across a significant number of Switch products in Canada – including consoles, games, and even Nintendo Switch Online memberships – blaming what it calls “market conditions”.
More specifically, Nintendo has said pricing for the Switch family of systems and products in Canada will “change” due to market conditions, with the company confirming Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite are all affected, alongside Switch accessories. Physical and digital Switch games are also impacted, as are amiibo and Nintendo Switch Online memberships.
The company hasn’t specified when these ‘changes’ will happen, but revised pricing for all impacted products is set to be shared on Nintendo’s Canadian store from 1st August, suggesting that’s when all this comes into effect. “Please note,” it adds. “This pricing change does not apply to the Nintendo Switch 2 system, accessories, or software.”
Nintendo’s decision comes amid ongoing trade uncertainty between the United States and Canada, and follows a brief pause in the company’s Switch 2 launch strategy – for both the US and Canada – earlier this year as it grappled with US president Trump’s volley of tariffs.
While Nintendo ultimately elected not to increase the cost of Switch 2 in response, it did raise prices for various Switch 2 accessories in the US, noting, “Other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions.” It’s unclear if the price “change” it’s now announced for Canada will be expanded to other countries.
Nintendo isn’t the only console manufacturer to change its pricing in response to recent global trade uncertainty, of course. Back in April, Sony revealed yet another price increase for PS5, blaming a “challenging economic environment”, and a month later Microsoft followed suit, confirming worldwide price increases for Xbox Series X/S and a bump to $80 for some of its games. Shortly after, Sony refused to rule out further price rises, saying it was currently evaluating whether to “pass on” additional costs brought about by US tariffs to consumers.