A few weeks after RAM prices started spiking due to increased demand from AI data centers which will take some time to normalize, the critical situation for consumers (who apparently have gotten the narrative wrong) has now become evident, as prices for some devices have already been increased, and more are set to follow.
Obviously, video game consoles will also be impacted by the current RAM prices and shortages, and another price increase will make the current console generation even more unusual, as it is the first one to date where console prices increased instead of dropping in the years following their launch. For the time being, however, the Nintendo Switch 2 may not be impacted by the current unprecedented situation.
Speaking with Kyoto Shimbun in a new interview summarized by Nintendo Patents Watch, president Shuntaro Furukawa commented on the impact the current high RAM prices could have on the new generation Nintendo system, saying that components are "procured from suppliers based on Nintendo's medium to long term business plan," and, as such, the current memory price has no immediate impact on their financial performance and the Nintendo Switch 2 price should remain stable for the near future.
However, given the magnitude of the situation, no one can rest easy. "We must monitor the situation closely," said Furukawa-san before refusing to "comment on hypotheticals" regarding a possible price increase for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Although high RAM prices make any new hardware launch challenging, Nintendo could be planning a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite model. During the Kyoto Shimbun interview, Furukawa-san mentioned that the company wants to make the Switch 2 accessible to people "who pick up their first console when reaching a certain age." A cheaper Switch 2 Lite model (which may already be in the works, judging from a fresh new model leak) would definitely appeal to a younger crowd but it remains to be seen how affordable such a system would be in the current landscape.
With no slowdown in sight for the AI boom, purchasing a Nintendo Switch 2 in the near future seems to be the safest choice for those still looking to get the system. In the future, Nintendo may eventually face a difficult choice: take a hit to its margins to protect the current price point, or follow Sony and Microsoft in increasing the system's price after its launch.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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