Topic: Xbox just raised prices. Are Nintendo next?

You have to consider the fact that Doug Bowser was asked if the Switch 2 console price was a result of tariffs. He said, "no". So today we see Xbox raise the price for their consoles, accessories, and games...due to the China tariff. Because of that, once Nintendo sell through the initial allotment of Switch 2s', are they going to increase prices as well?

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/05/nintendo-says-switc...

Some Switch 2 consoles are produced in Vietnam, sure. But most are still manufactured in China.

Either way, fair to assume Playstation are going to announce a price increase...any day now.

Playstation have been doing it in every country except the US for a few years. It's coming and it'll hit hard

The cheapest time to buy consoles is day 1.

As for Nintendo, hard to say, if they can keep most of the demand fulfilled in the US by manufacturing outside of China. They did prep for this in 2019, they just couldn't have predicted that instead of a tariff on exports from certain countries, what we would get is instead an import tax on any and all goods entering the US.

Which has the opposite effect of a tariff as instead of isolating one country and stimulating demand and trade between others to yourself, you've just isolated yourself and made everyone else buddy up against you.

I reckon Nintendo will hold out as long as possible and make up the margins on accessories and such. The tariffs might be completely different several times tomorrow.

But know this, much like with the price of eggs, once the issues causing the cost to increase are removed, the price ain't gonna come down: that's just pure profit now at a higher price.

And all here knows where they make XBox and PS right..... China.... Why does people not know Nintendo diversified what they could where they finish the product at because of the two tight wads that can't seem to figure what they are doing does nothing for anyone or any countries. And Nintendo again is most likely now are looking to further diversify again because of this for their other hardware to prevent spikes in prices.

I thought Nintendo was the one who started it.

Nintendo might have started it, but I'd think that everyone will be raising their prices multiple times before the year is out, if the tariff situation doesn't change.

If Nintendo is smart they'd keep their head down and thank Xbox for taking the bullet for them.

If Xbox didn't do this, I think this would've haunted Nintendo for a long time (and it might still depending on what happens with Switch 2 sales in year 2).

Instead of a super clear no he kind of rambled about how the price was what it should be for the consumers and then said he couldn't go into more detail. They obviously set prices before they knew exactly what the tariffs would be, but we have no real reason to think they didn't try to predict and set the prices in a way which would allow some tariff wiggle room.

I don't think the console prices are going to raise just yet. Majority of the Switch 2 consoles for American retail are being shipped from Vietnam, which is- as far as I'm aware anyways, not being hit by tariffs for around 90 days.

The XBOX consoles and PS5 consoles are primarily manufactured in China, which was hit with heavy tariffs compared to Vietnam. While Nintendo does manufacture within China, they diversified- with most of the American units probably being safe for the time being.

Nintendo just raised prices for their accessories for the console in order to offset tariffs that they'll run into as well.

@Magician Of course Doug Bowser said they weren't because of Tariffs. Look how Trump reacted to Amazon trying to inform customers transparently about how much tariffs have added. They have to try to leave poitics out of it else threaten to alienate a demographic or cause drama. They halted preorders and raised accessory prices because they were higher than anticipated, but you have to be niave to think they weren't factored in originally. They have been talked about for the past couple of years. And when they do raise prices,it's because of 'market conditions' or development costs. Microsoft did not go as far to say it's because of Tariffs. Honestly, Americans have such a wird sycophantic devotion to the president. It's weird. Tariffs make things more expensive for the sake of promoting low skilled, low paid jobs into a country. It cannot be spelled out any clearer.

Nintendo was the only one of the big 3 to move some production to Vietnam. Even so, when tariffs go back to full effect, they won't be able to eat the 32-46% increase in cost without raising prices at some point. At best it's another $100. Maybe they split it 50/50 with consumers so they break even on the console charging $500 for it.

But that's manageable. Sony and MS are screwed. They're all in China. And at 145% lol, its gonna be some fireworks. $780 PS5 Pro before price increases. Xbox had a $600 console that's now $730 (it's that 2TB SSD that likely jacked the price up more than the $100 increase seen with the normal system). So I can only imagine what PS5 is going to be.

And I'm not even convinced this is the final price increase for Xbox. On a $500 XSX, let's say it costs them $400 (and thats being generous). The tariff would be an additional $600. Meaning their cost = $1,000. So ya... $600 ain't gonna cut it. Maybe they go for $799 and eat $200 of cost. Same for PS5.

I don't see how PS or Xbox competes if that happens. Especially with a Switch 2 at $450-500. Best they can do is lobby for an exemption. Thats their only hope.

But ya. I do expect a price increase for Switch 2 later this year. Probably in time for the holidays. I think a $499 Switch 2 is inevitable.

@Tasuki Sure Nintendo started. They were the first to jump. You can be damn sure everyone else already planned for $80 and I can confidently say that they don't think it's high enough.

Capcom confirmed a few years back that they thought $70 wasn't enough. You know damn well GTA6 will make trillions at $70, but it will be higher, because it can be.

Third parties have been trying to keep up with their asinine budgets. $70 doesn't cut it, so moving the release date forward a few days and charging $90 for "early access" helps. So does all the in app purchases and DLC too.

Very rarely has a game actually been $70. They've all had actual launch prices higher than that for years - you could just wait a week and get it on its "launch day" for $70.

It won't stop until triple digits. This industry has gone full Ouroborus. Budgets are out of control because that's what they thought gamers wanted, tech kept getting better, more expensive, kept saying we wanted high budget games that make no money, and repeat.

Yeah, I do expect Sony will follow soon with more notable price increases. They already did one recently in Europe and other countries. With how things are going, Xbox already announcing theirs and their comfortable lead in sales this gen I fully expect they’ll announce more extensive price increases to help make-up for losses they expect from the tariffs

Oh hey, the backlog is looking pretty nice at the moment.

Nice, Xbox now is even more worthless for physical collection gamers

How people can equate XBox should regulate Switch 2 games is beyond imagination here. They are porting over to Switch 2 to survive and to think Nintendo should follow XBox prices is delusional here. I highly doubt all Switch 2 card game will follow MKW prices as that is 1st party game and those always command price hikes. It's the tariffs that punted XBox consoles that prices are going up. Xbox been going away from Physical media for long time not sure why people think it's just happening right now. Nintendo for better or worse their game development modules doesn't spend Millions and then lose Billions. This the the elephant in the room people keep missing out they don't waste R&D and get nothing in return.

The cheapest time to buy consoles is day 1.

Xbox Series S?
Switch?
PS2?
GameCube?
3DS?
Wii U?
PS4?

I've definitely seen all these and more for sale cheaper than their Day 1 price, so I don't think I'm gonna be adopting that mantra.

once the issues causing the cost to increase are removed, the price ain't gonna come down: that's just pure profit now at a higher price.

We'll see. Kinda seems like you're assuming everyone's just gonna swallow the hikes and pay them. It's very easy for Xbox to raise its prices, because it barely affects anyone, even Microsoft have pretty much given up on wanting to sell Xboxes. But significant price hikes for Nintendo and PlayStation will eat into their software sales, I don't doubt. Nintendo is more committed to the hardware market than the others - Nintendo wants to keep selling software to keep its hardware relevant to keep its software relevant etc. If significantly less Switches sell due to price hikes, significantly less copies of Pokémon, Animal Crossing might sell, competitors (especially free to play) will move in on their territory, and then Nintendo's light is looking a little faded.

@Haruki_NLI
Nintendo didn’t start this. PlayStation was raising prices in other territories last year.

The writing’s been on the wall.

And obviously Nintendo didn’t want to come out of the gate saying their initial prices were due to tariffs. They didn’t want to get political. But their hand is now being forced as they acknowledge increases on the accessories and why those increases are happening.

And at the end of the day we’re all human beings and this is all so stupid. Mind boggling.

Grail, I get what you're saying but don't over-generalize! Approximately half of the US population voted against the guy, and we're sick to our stomachs reading the news each day.

It's appalling that in this nation, one man would be allowed to wreak the havoc that he has. Since WWII this country has championed the free market and benefitted from it more than any other. But no, let's tear down that world order in the name of making America alone again! Perhaps disenfranchise the middle class, too, while we're at it! Fire the civil service, tell the academics what to think, ban books and lock up lawful residents in the name of freedom! Rename the Gulf of Mexico for some reason! The list goes on and on.

Video game prices, prices for nearly everything, will go up because of the ignorant policies of one man. And, inevitably, when things go wrong, Teflon Don will do what he always has, blame somebody else, like Biden or the Federal Bank Chair HE HIMSELF appointed, and yet now calls a "moron." Actual words. From this country's president.

Such sad days we're living here on this side of the Atlantic.

@GrailUK

Because according to Fleek, Trump saved us all.

Anyone fancy re-enacting 1812?