Nintendo Announces First Switch 2 Bundles to Launch Following the Console's September Price Hike
Nintendo has revealed its first Switch 2 console bundles for launch following the console's upcoming price rise. Two options will be available, offering discounts on purchasing the platform with either Mario Kart World or Nintendo Switch Sports Resort.
As a reminder, Switch 2 is set to increase in price within the U.S., Canada, U.K. and mainland Europe in just five days' time, meaning you have a limited window in which to still buy one for its launch price. In the U.S., Switch 2 will rise by $50, to $499.99.
From "late September", Nintendo will once again bundle Switch 2 with its launch title Mario Kart World and three months of Nintendo Switch Online membership. This package will sell for $549.99, which Nintendo says is a $37.98 saving.
Next, from October 22, a second bundle option will become available alongside the launch of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. The game and console, plus a 90-day Nintendo Switch Online subscription, will sell for $529.99. This is a saving of $27.98, Nintendo says.
While new options for prospective Switch 2 owners to save money is a welcome move, it's worth emphasizing that you'll save even more money if you are able to buy a console and Mario Kart World in the next few days.
On top of all that, those on the lookout for a snazzier console design might be tempted by the leaked images of a The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 console and Pro Controller that popped up online earlier this month. However, there's no telling yet how much these might cost. It's likely we'll see these made official soon, ahead of Nintendo's Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake arriving before the end of the year.
Nintendo first confirmed it would raise Switch 2 prices back in May, ensuring that customers had several months of warning before the cost increases took effect. At the time, the company apologized for the need to raise prices and blamed the changes on "market conditions" and stated it had been forced to consider "the global business outlook."
The Switch 2's price rise is, of course, just the latest example of a hardware manufacturer increasing prices. PlayStation, Xbox and Valve have all upped prices over the past year, in the face of global uncertainty around shipping, tariffs, and ballooning component prices. So, is now the right time to for you to jump in on Switch 2?
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social