Nintendo Korea announced that its flagship console Switch 2 will rise to 758,000 won ($491.2) from 648,000 won starting September 1, a jump of about 17 percent. The company had already raised prices on its original Switch lineup in May.
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our customers and stakeholders due to this price change," Nintendo said in a statement, citing a review of global business conditions.
Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro now retails in South Korea at 1.298 million won, the most expensive console on the market, while Microsoft has lifted prices on its Xbox Series X lineup, with its top-tier U.S. model reaching $799.99.
The increases trace back to a sharp rise in memory chip prices. General-purpose DRAM prices surged about 90 to 95 percent quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter, the steepest jump on record, as PC makers scrambled amid tight supply.
NAND flash, the key component in SSD storage, has climbed for 18 straight months, with prices for general-purpose chips rising 8.72 percent in June alone to $28.82, according to market tracker TrendForce.
Industry analysts attribute the squeeze to chipmakers prioritizing high-margin AI server components over consumer hardware, a shift that has left console and PC manufacturers competing for a shrinking pool of supply.
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