Nintendo Switch 2 a year later: why now is the best time to buy a console before the autumn price increase
A year on the market, almost 20 million devices sold, a shortage of memory chips and the best discounts of the outgoing June. Let's figure out what's happening with the main hybrid platform right now.
Exactly a year has passed since the triumphant global release of Nintendo Switch 2 (known during the development stage as Ounce), which took place on June 5, 2025. During this time, the console managed to prove its status as a full-fledged technological successor: as of March 31, 2026, sales of the new platform exceeded 19.86 million devices worldwide. Launch exclusives are breaking records - for example, sales of Mario Kart World have already crossed the threshold of 14.7 million copies. Meanwhile, third-party developers are busy mastering the new hardware, releasing excellent ports of heavy AAA titles like Resident Evil Requiem, which has significantly narrowed the graphical gap between the Nintendo console and desktop systems of competitors.
However, clouds are gathering over the success of the platform, and if you have been postponing the purchase until now, now is the decisive moment.
Improaching price crisis: why will the console become more expensive?
The global semiconductor market gave Nintendo an unpleasant surprise. Due to global shortages of components, the cost of DRAM for the company's assembly lines increased by 41%, and NAND flash memory by 8%. Pressure from the investment community to maintain high margins has forced Nintendo management to take an unpopular step.
Officially announced: Effective September 1, 2026, the MSRP for the base version of the Nintendo Switch 2 will increase from the current $449 to $499. Well-known analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities has already criticized this decision, noting that gamers' wallets are already depleted by rising food and gasoline prices, which is why entertainment budgets will be the first to be cut. However, a rise in price is inevitable, which means that the summer of 2026 is the last opportunity to purchase a set-top box at the old price.
June's secret offer: how to save up to $100
For those who want to catch it before the autumn price jump, there is a profitable promotion going on right now. As part of the "Summer of Gaming" sale on the online marketplace Woot (a subsidiary of Amazon outlet), the basic version of the Nintendo Switch 2 can be found at a discount for $449.
But most importantly, if you place an order before June 26, 2026, you can use the promotional code CHEAPSWITCH2:
For new Woot customers: The promo code provides a $50 discount, reducing the final price of the sealed console to $399 (a net savings of $100 relative to the future September price).
For registered users: The discount will be $30, and the price of the device will drop to $419.
An official bundle is also available on the market "Choose Your Game" for $499, which includes a voucher to download one of your choice of three games (Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza or Pokémon Pokopia). However, Woot's offering currently remains the cheapest way to enter the new generation.
Technical breakthrough: what's hidden under the hull?
Nintendo Switch 2 is a full-fledged generational leap, not a cosmetic update. The console architecture is based on a custom NVIDIA Tegra T239 (Drake) processor with 12 GB of fast LPDDR5X RAM. The capacity of the built-in ultra-fast UFS 3.1 storage has increased to 256 GB, and games can now be launched exclusively from microSD Express cards (regular microSD are only supported for storing screenshots and videos).
The portable screen has grown to 7.9 inches. This is a high-quality LCD matrix with a resolution of 1080p, HDR10 support and a variable refresh rate (VRR) of up to 120 Hz. In docked mode, the console uses the processor's Tensor Cores to intelligently scale NVIDIA DLSS images, delivering stable 4K at 60 frames per second on compatible TVs.
Backwards Compatibility and New Joy-Con 2
The console offers 100% backwards compatibility with games from the original Switch. Older games run faster, smoother, and at higher resolutions. Moreover, active subscribers of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pak service can download free special graphics improvement patches for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, as well as gain access to the classic library of games from the Nintendo GameCube.
The new Joy-Con 2 controllers have a magnetic fixation system to the body, improved haptic motors HD Rumble 2, a dedicated "C" button for quick access to the GameChat voice service, and a built-in optical sensor for using the right controller as a mouse.
If you don't want to shell out for a second Joy-Con 2 (which currently costs $99 a pair), you can easily connect your old first-gen Joy-Con or Pro Controller via Bluetooth. However, it will not be possible to physically attach the old controllers to the Switch 2 case due to the lack of magnets, and they will have to be charged through third-party charging stations.
What to play this fall?
The game line-up for the second half of 2026 looks promising. The long-awaited release of Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] will take place on October 8th. These are full-fledged local versions of games that will finally replace the criticized cloud editions of the first Switch (the game will be released on physical Game-Key Card format cartridges).
And on October 22, 2026, the main exclusive of the fall season will be released - Nintendo Switch Sports: Resort. The spiritual successor to the legendary Wii Sports Resort will offer 12 sports, including classic bowling and tennis, using improved gyroscopes and gesture controls of the new Joy-Con 2.
