Nintendo Is Halting Sales for Switch 2 + Mario Kart Bundle Due to Rising Memory Costs
NintendoSaturday, 28 February 2026 at 04:12
According to IT Home, analyst Matthew Ball recently told The Game Business that Nintendo may have found a quiet way to raise what players actually pay for the Nintendo Switch 2 without ever touching the official $449.99 price tag, because while the base console still sells for the same amount in the US and €469.99 in parts of Europe.
No More Mario Kart Bundle For Switch 2 Owners
The big N decided, in a surprising twist, to discontinue the Mario Kart World bundle at the end of 2025. So far, that bundle had effectively saved buyers $30 if they were planning to pick up the game anyway. According to Ball, this applies to as many as 85% of Switch 2 owners. Not a big surprise, after all, this was the only launch title for the console.
The pressure does not stop there, because modern releases like Final Fantasy VII Remake are large enough to consume more than a third of the console’s internal storage on their own. This eventually pushes many players toward buying MicroSD Express cards, and that is where the broader tech market starts to matter, since the AI boom has driven massive demand for NAND flash memory in data centers. The hard supply and keeping memory prices elevated mean that expanding storage for the Switch 2 now costs more than it might have just a few years ago, adding another layer of expense that does not show up in the console’s base price.
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Ball’s view is that Nintendo is deliberately avoiding a headline-grabbing price increase while still protecting its margins. Instead, the company decided to remove discounts and lean on ecosystem costs. He suggests that if additional revenue is needed, the company could eventually look toward subscription pricing, much like Sony has done with PlayStation Plus.
Key Points
- The Nintendo Switch 2 still retails for $449.99 (€469.99), with no official price increase announced.
- Nintendo discontinued the Mario Kart World bundle at the end of 2025, removing a $30 effective savings for buyers.
- Analyst Matthew Ball estimates up to 85% of Switch 2 owners would have purchased Mario Kart anyway, making the bundle removal feel like a stealth price hike.
- Rising NAND flash prices, driven by AI data center demand, have increased the cost of MicroSD Express expansion cards.
- Overall ownership costs are climbing even without a formal console price bump.
- Nintendo could potentially adjust pricing for Nintendo Switch Online in the future, similar to moves made by Sony with PlayStation Plus.
This could mean higher fees down the line for Nintendo Switch Online members. While the console technically remains $449.99, the total cost of owning and fully using a Switch 2 is quietly edging upward in ways most buyers will feel, even if they never see an official price hike announcement.
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