Nintendo Switch 2 leak reveals possible launch price of new gaming handheld

The Nintendo Switch 2 has made its official debut, but even though the company has showcased the design of the gaming handheld, pricing details are still under wraps. Well, that's what a new leak has shed light on. This leak comes from X user @Shpeshal_Nick, who cites a source who could be correct about the launch timeline.

@Shpeshal_Nick shares that the same source claims that the upcoming gaming handheld will launch at $499, which is a pretty big jump from the first-gen Nintendo Switch. To fill you in, the last-gen handheld console launched in 2017 with a $299.99 price tag, which was considered to be pretty affordable.

It is worth noting that past reports have speculated a $399 launch price for the Nintendo Switch 2. The newly rumored $499 launch price, on the other hand, is said to include a "Mario Kart bundle" that could be worth $50. So, without the included game, the rumored price for the gaming handheld is $449 (Z1 Extreme ROG Ally curr. $499.99 on Best Buy).

Now, even though the $449 launch price for the Nintendo Switch 2 may sound reasonable for the spec bump that it brings, it's still important to take these leaks with a grain of salt. Also, while the company didn't reveal the pricing info for the upcoming gaming handheld, it confirmed that more information would be revealed at the Nintendo Direct event. It's set for April 2, which isn't far from now.

Speaking of which, the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to have multiple AAA ports ready at launch. Although developers haven't shared information about it yet, the upcoming Direct event could shed more light on this.