Switch 2 sales drop 87% in Japan following surge ahead of cost revisions
Nintendo Switch 2 sales in Japan experienced a dramatic 87% collapse following a price increase announced on May 25. Hardware sales dropped to just 31,751 units in the week after the price hike, down sharply from 200,000+ units weekly in the three weeks prior to the increase.
The price increase for the Japanese-language Switch 2 system raised the cost from ¥49,980 (approximately $312) to ¥59,980 ($374), representing a 20% price increase. This timing created a stark consumer response pattern: aware of the impending price rise through early May reports, consumers rushed to purchase the console before the increase took effect, artificially inflating sales in the weeks leading up to May 25.
Prior to news of the price increase, weekly Switch 2 sales had been more modest, ranging between 44,000 and 52,000 units. The post-increase sales figure of 31,751 units fell even below this baseline, suggesting the price hike prompted consumers to defer purchases or abandon buying plans entirely.
The impact extended beyond Switch 2, with the original Nintendo Switch console also experiencing sales declines during the same period. The sharp post-launch correction in Switch 2 sales illustrates the challenging launch phase for the console, with price sensitivity playing a significant role in consumer purchasing decisions in the critical Japanese market.