Nintendo’s Switch 2 could get more expensive in 2026, and artificial intelligence may be the unlikely culprit.
According to a new Bloomberg report, Nintendo is contemplating a price hike for the Switch 2 amid surging global memory prices. The console, which launched in 2025 at $ 449.99/£395.99, may not remain at that price for long.
The problem isn’t poor sales. Switch 2 has reportedly moved over 17 million units, outpacing the original Switch at launch. Instead, the issue is RAM, specifically DRAM, which has become the battleground resource in the AI arms race.
Tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon are pouring hundreds of billions into AI data centers, snapping up Nvidia accelerators loaded with massive amounts of memory. Each new AI server rack can consume as much RAM as thousands of smartphones.
That demand has sent memory prices into what analysts are calling “RAMmageddon.” Bloomberg reports that the cost of one type of DRAM jumped 75% in a single month. Suppliers such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are prioritizing high-bandwidth memory for AI chips, leaving consumer electronics manufacturers fighting over shrinking DRAM capacity.
Nintendo isn’t alone. Sony is reportedly considering delaying its PlayStation 6 to 2028 or even 2029. Microsoft has already raised Xbox prices, and Sony bumped PS5 pricing last year. Even Apple and Tesla have warned investors about margin pressure tied to memory shortages.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently told shareholders there are no immediate plans for a price increase, but he stopped short of ruling one out. If memory costs remain elevated, Nintendo may have little choice but to protect margins.
Switch 2 may have launched just before the full force of this memory crunch hit. If Bloomberg’s reporting holds true, the era of cheaper consoles could be over, and waiting for a discount might not pay off this time.
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