Consoles used to get cheaper as they aged. In 2026 they are getting more expensive — repeatedly. Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have all raised hardware prices this year, citing market conditions that they expect to persist “over the medium to long term.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 Price Hike: September 1
Nintendo’s own notice is explicit: from September 1, 2026, the US MSRP moves from $449.99 to $499.99, “in response to various changes in market conditions, which are expected to extend over the medium to long term.” The company said it “sincerely apologises” for the impact on customers.
| Region | Old price | New price | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $449.99 | $499.99 | Sept 1, 2026 |
| Eurozone | €469.99 | €499.99 | Sept 1, 2026 |
| United Kingdom | £395.99 | £419.99 | Sept 1, 2026 |
| Japan (Japanese model) | ¥49,980 | ¥59,980 | May 25, 2026 |
| Canada | CAD $629.99 | CAD $679.99 | Sept 1, 2026 |
The UK number was confirmed last, on August 20 — a £24 increase rather than the €30 seen in Europe. Nintendo has already been warning shoppers through in-store kiosks since mid-August.
Microsoft’s Two Price Hikes in One Summer
Microsoft has increased Xbox pricing multiple times in 2026, including an August move in the UK and Europe:
| Console | Was | Now (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series S 512GB | £299.99 | £429.99 |
| Xbox Series S 1TB | £349.99 | £519.99 |
| Xbox Series X 1TB Digital | £449.99 | £619.99 |
| Xbox Series X 1TB Disc | £499.99 | £669.99 |
In Europe, the 512GB Series S went from €349.99 to €499.99. For most of August that made Microsoft’s entry-level console more expensive than a Switch 2 in both the UK and Europe — a reversal of the usual order that disappears once Nintendo’s September rise lands, leaving the two machines at parity in the eurozone.
Sony Got There First
Sony raised PlayStation 5 pricing by roughly $100–$150 in the US in April 2026, following an earlier round that added £90 in the UK and $100 in the US. The company blamed “continued pressures in the global economic landscape.”
Why It Keeps Happening
Every announcement points at the same inputs: component costs, tariffs, and a memory market distorted by demand from AI data centers. Nintendo’s May statement named “changes in market conditions” and the “global business outlook”; TechRadar notes the wider RAM crisis affecting console manufacturing, while Valve has itself delayed its PC-console hybrid device.
The consumer-visible result: the cheapest current-generation console in the UK costs £429.99, and a new Switch 2 costs $499.99 a year and three months after launch.
Sources
- Nintendo — Price Revision for Nintendo Switch 2 System
- BBC News — Nintendo Switch 2 price rise takes effect from September
- TechRadar — Nintendo confirms the Switch 2’s new UK price
- Nintendo Life — Xbox Series S is now more expensive than Switch 2 in Europe and the UK
- Nintendo Life — Switch 2 Demo Kiosks Now Advertising September Price Hike
- Ars Technica / Yahoo — Switch 2 price increase: Nintendo will raise the console’s cost to $500 on September 1
- Nintendo Life — How much does Nintendo Switch 2 cost?