Nintendo Switch 2 sales drop before price hike

Nintendo reported on August 6 that Switch 2 sales lost momentum in its latest quarter, even as the company said total sell-through had reached 23.68 million units. Engadget, citing Nintendo’s new financial materials, said the slowdown came weeks before a scheduled U.S. price increase for the console. Nintendo of America said in a May 7 notice that the U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price for Switch 2 will rise to $499.99 on September 1 from $449.99. The company has not tied the latest weekly sales drop to any single factor. ### How much is Nintendo raising the price, and when? Nintendo of America said on May 7 that the Switch 2 system’s U.S. MSRP will increase by $50 on September 1, 2026. The company said the new price would be $499.99, up from $449.99, and described the move as a response to “various changes in market conditions” expected to last over the medium to long term. (engadget.com) Engadget reported on August 6 that the sales drop came ahead of that increase. Nintendo’s investor relations page published first-quarter earnings materials the same day, including updated hardware and software figures for the fiscal year ending March 2027. ### What did Nintendo say about demand? (nintendo.com) Nintendo said in its earnings presentation that consumers were still buying the system, helped by new game releases and other factors. Engadget reported that the company put cumulative Switch 2 sales at 23.68 million units, a figure it said was ahead of the original Switch at the comparable stage. (engadget.com) The August 6 earnings release did not, in the material surfaced here, spell out a separate explanation for the latest week-to-week slowdown. Nintendo’s published materials instead focused on quarterly results, unit sales updates and the broader business outlook. ### Which games are next for the system? (engadget.com) Minecraft said on August 5 that a native Switch 2 version will launch on October 27. Mojang said the release will include “Vibrant Visuals,” with enhanced lighting, shadows and improved visuals across supported Marketplace content, and an updated Super Mario Mash-Up Pack for Nintendo platforms. (nintendo.co.jp) Minecraft had previously said the Switch 2 version would be built to use the console’s stronger hardware. The October date gives Nintendo a major cross-platform title on the calendar after the September price change takes effect in the United States. ### Is Diablo 4 actually coming to Switch 2 next month? (minecraft.net) IGN reported on August 5 that a leak pointed to a mid-September Switch 2 release for Diablo 4, with a $69.99 price and a code-in-a-box physical edition. VGC, citing Dealabs writer billbil-kun, said the game was expected on either September 15 or September 18, while Polygon said earlier ratings-board activity had added weight to the report. (minecraft.net) Blizzard and Nintendo have not announced the port publicly in the materials reviewed here. ### What happens next for Switch 2 buyers? September 1 is the next fixed date for U.S. buyers, when Nintendo of America’s higher $499.99 MSRP takes effect. October 27 is the next confirmed software milestone, when Minecraft is scheduled to launch on Switch 2, according to Minecraft.net. Reports on Diablo 4 point to September 15 or September 18, but those dates remain unconfirmed until Nintendo or Blizzard announces them. (me.ign.com) (nintendo.com)