Nintendo Switch 2 Lite for $299 and Nintendo Selects for $19.99: DRAM crisis is an opportunity for Nintendo
As more and more processors, graphics cards, SSDs and RAM are needed for AI data centers, prices for all these components have risen rapidly over the past twelve months. This is making not only PCs, laptops and smartphones more expensive, but gaming as well. While the Steam Deck launched in February 2022 for $399, the cheapest version in production now costs $789. And even the six-year-old PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are now significantly more expensive than at launch.
By comparison, the Nintendo Switch 2 ($499 on Amazon) seems almost affordable even after its price increase, but the console is by no means a bargain. For customers on a tighter budget, Nintendo recently launched a bundle with the first-generation Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Europe for just €199 ($220). An attractive offer, but the almost ten-year-old console is barely getting any major new games anymore.
Rising prices and the growing catalog of games for the Nintendo Switch 2 represent a real opportunity for Nintendo. Rumors already suggest that a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite with a similarly powerful but cheaper-to-produce processor is in the works. If Nintendo takes a similar approach to the Nintendo Switch Lite, the company could significantly reduce the price by eliminating the detachable Joy-Con and the dock entirely, while a smaller display with a 60 Hz refresh rate and only 128 GB storage could save additional money.
A gaming handheld for around $299 that can play current Nintendo games as well as blockbusters like Cyberpunk 2077 or Hogwarts Legacy sounds like a real recipe for success amid the DRAM crisis. Especially if the Nintendo Selects program were revived, and older Nintendo-produced games were offered for $20 to $30 – not just for a short time, but permanently.
This could make gaming a genuine option again for families on a tight budget, while Nintendo fans from years past could more easily justify buying a Switch 2 as a second console, giving them the chance to catch up on true gaming gems like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Super Mario Bros. Wonder without breaking the bank. Whether Nintendo ultimately values market share and customer satisfaction more than maximizing its profit margin, however, is questionable.
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