Source: Hypebeast
Nintendo's aggressive pricing for the Switch 2—base model at $299, OLED variant at $349—triggered consumer defection, with hardware sales plummeting 37% in its first half on market. This breaks from the company's typical pattern of bundling software momentum with hardware adoption, indicating that even Nintendo's historically patient installed base has a price elasticity limit, particularly when competitors like Steam Deck offer comparable power at lower cost. The decline points to consumer resistance against generational jumps requiring full-price entry, especially in a market where the original Switch's $299 entry price had anchored expectations over eight years.