Nintendo confirms the cost of physical Switch 2 games 'is not going up' after announcing digital titles will cost less than physical versions in the US | Tech Radar
Overview
Nintendo confirms the cost of physical Switch 2 games 'is not going up' after announcing digital titles will cost less than physical versions in the US
The change will begin in May, starting with preorders for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
Details
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The price of Nintendo Switch 2 games in the US is changing
Beginning May 2026, Nintendo digital titles will have different prices from their physical counterparts
Nintendo confirmed "the cost of physical games is not going up" and retail partners will set their own prices
Nintendo has announced that the price of Nintendo Switch 2 games in the US is changing, with digital titles costing less than physical versions.
The news from a new Nintendo post, which confirmed that beginning May 2026, and starting with preorders for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Nintendo digital titles exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 will have an MSRP that is different from physical versions.
"Nintendo games offer the same experiences whether in packaged or digital format, and this change simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format and offers players more choice in how they can buy and play Nintendo games," the company said.
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"As always, retail partners set their own prices for physical and digital games, and pricing for each title may vary."
The statement suggests that current Nintendo-published games, like Mario Kart World, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Pokémon Pokopia, won't see any price changes.
Only new titles after May will be affected, starting with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which was previously announced with a
Nintendo explained that the change "simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format and offers players more choice in how they buy and play Nintendo games."
The Switch company has since clarified its statement after some confusion and confirmed that this does not mean the price of physical counterparts is increasing, but that retail partners will set their own prices for both.
"The cost of physical games is not going up," Nintendo said in a statement to IGN. "This means that when Nintendo sells digital versions of Nintendo published games exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 to consumers in the U. S., those prices will have an MSRP that is lower than their physical counterparts.
"Retail partners set their own prices for physical and digital games, and pricing for each title may vary."
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Earlier this week, it was reported that Nintendo is cutting down Switch 2 production following disappointing sales during the holiday season. Bloomberg sources claimed that the company now aims to produce 4 million units instead of 6 million, despite the commercial and critical success of the Switch 2 exclusive Pokémon Pokopia, which sold 2.2 million units globally in its first four days of release.
Nintendo is reportedly waiting for other titles to show consistently strong sales to justify increasing console production.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best handheld games consoles
- Best overall: Nintendo Switch 2
- Best for PC gamers: Steam Deck OLED
- Best budget Nintendo Switch Lite
- Best for remote play: Play Station Portal
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Demi is a freelance games journalist for Tech Radar Gaming. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as Game Spot, NME, and Games Radar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.
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Key Takeaways
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Nintendo confirms the cost of physical Switch 2 games 'is not going up' after announcing digital titles will cost less than physical versions in the US
-
The change will begin in May, starting with preorders for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
-
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission
-
The price of Nintendo Switch 2 games in the US is changing
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Beginning May 2026, Nintendo digital titles will have different prices from their physical counterparts
