Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that the company is closely tracking the surge in RAM prices and the impact of tariffs as it finalises a new wave of plans for the Switch 2.
He acknowledged that profit margins for the console are tighter than those of the original Switch, making component costs a critical factor in pricing decisions.
RAM has obviously become a hot commodity thanks to the global boom in AI data centres, which require vast amounts of memory. This demand has created scarcity, driving prices higher and leaving consumer electronics manufacturers exposed.
This means that Nintendo needs to balance affordability for players with profitability for the business. Furukawa stressed that while a price increase for the Switch 2 remains hypothetical, the company cannot ignore the market realities.
Beyond RAM, tariffs continue to weigh on hardware makers. Nintendo is factoring these into its long-term strategy, ensuring that the Switch 2 remains competitive in a crowded market. However, the company’s cautious stance reflects a broader industry challenge. How do you deliver next-generation performance without alienating consumers with higher costs?
The concern is fairly straightforward: will rising component costs push the Switch 2’s price beyond reach? Nintendo has not committed to any changes, but its transparency about monitoring the situation signals that it wants to maintain trust. We know players value affordability, and Nintendo’s history of balancing innovation with accessibility suggests it will tread carefully.
Sony and Microsoft have also faced cost pressures in recent years, with component shortages affecting availability and pricing. Nintendo’s proactive monitoring shows it is learning from those challenges.
