Nintendo has promised to provide “a robust software line-up to enhance the Switch 2 ownership value” following the Switch 2 price increase (from $449.99 to $499.99) announced last week.
As reported on Reuters’ Japanese site (hat tip to VGC), Nintendo hopes the price increase will secure profitability “at the same level as the previous fiscal year”, but of course, that might be challenging if hardware sales slow down. The solution to this, as explained by Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa during the recent financial results presentation, is “a robust software lineup to enhance the Switch 2 ownership value”. “We will work diligently to overcome this barrier,” he said.
“While we wanted to prioritise a wide adoption, it was challenging to bear the rising costs over a long period,” he added, alongside an apology to customers “for the considerable inconvenience and trouble this will cause”.
Even if Pokémon Pokopia and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream are performing remarkably well, there’s the question of how the rest of Nintendo’s 2026 first-party line-up looks like. We know Star Fox and Splatoon Raiders are coming this summer, but the release date for Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave remains a mystery. And what about the rumoured The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake?
When you add them up and also consider high-profile third-party exclusives like FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods, and whatever we haven’t learned about yet, there might be truth to Furukawa’s promise. For now, we’re just waiting for the next big Nintendo Direct.
