Well, that didn’t take long — just over a month since the Nintendo Switch 2 launched, and we’ve got our first price hike. Saudi Arabia is the first region feeling the pinch, and naturally, that’s got a few alarm bells ringing for gamers in other parts of the world.
According to a report from NintendoSoup, the price increase came from AIC, the official distributor for Nintendo in Saudi Arabia. As of July 8, the base Switch 2 console is jumping from 1,999 SAR to 2,149 SAR. In USD, that’s about $533 to $573 — a 7.5% bump. And if we take that percentage and apply it to the U.S. pricing? That’d be like the $449.99 MSRP climbing to around $484. Oof.
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It’s not just the base console either — the Mario Kart World bundle is also going up, now selling for 2,349 SAR, or roughly $626 USD. The good news? Games, accessories, and other gear aren’t being hit with the price increase… yet.
So what’s the deal here? AIC cited “global market conditions” as the reason, which is pretty vague. It could be currency shifts, inflation, supply chain stuff — your guess is as good as ours. But here’s where it gets spicy: Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa previously warned that U.S. tariffs could also force a price hike down the line. So yeah, this Saudi increase might not be an isolated thing.
Now, demand for the Switch 2 has been off the charts since launch, and restocks have been slow. Sure, it’s starting to pop back up at retailers here and there, but analysts are saying Nintendo might not fully catch up with demand until early 2026. That’s a long time to wait while staring at rising prices.
Bottom line? If you’ve been thinking about grabbing a Switch 2 and you actually see one at MSRP, now might be the time to pull the trigger. The longer you wait, the more likely it is you’ll be paying more — if you can even find one.
Also read: Super Mario Strikers Now Playable on Nintendo Switch Online for Switch 2