I’m Sad and Disappointed with Nintendo Lately – Switch 1 Prices Just Went Up

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Aywren

As a gamer who has been a Nintendo fan since I first discovered the NES in my childhood years, I’m struggling with the fact that I’ve been nothing but disappointed in the calls the company has been making lately. I try not to fill my blog with posts about drama, but it gets harder and harder to be positive when your favorite childhood attachments are slowly getting flushed down the toilet by the very company that once delighted you.  

It’s no secret that I did not buy into the Switch 2.

I wasn’t happy with the high price tag for what feels like a refresher on a system I already own, and one that includes bells and whistles I’m not interested in. I’m not intrigued by any of the launch or post-launch titles. I’m not happy with the concept of $80 games.

I’m very unhappy with game key cards, and refuse to ever buy one. I’m extremely unhappy with hearing Nintendo can just up and brick a $450 system by cutting a customer off from the Switch 2’s online capabilities.

And now, Nintendo has further stoked the flames of my disappointment by jacking up the cost of Nintendo Switch 1 consoles. Especially after the fact that Nintendo’s response to “Switch 2 is just too expensive” was “Well, then, we have a system for you – Switch 1!”

Here’s a list of the new prices that went into effect as of August 3, borrowed from this article:

Consoles

• Switch Lite: $230 (was $200)
• Switch Standard: $340 (was $300)
• Switch OLED: $400 (was $350)

Now, the Switch 1 OLED is only $50 cheaper than the Switch 2 base system. That’s just crazy! Traditionally, when a new console releases, the previous generation consoles have a drop in price, not a significant hike in price.

And yes, I know. Tariffs. Politics. Inflation. All of that.

I don’t buy it. Just like I’m not buying the Switch 2.

In fact, I’ve grown more and more weary of the whole modern gaming console environment as of late. Microsoft doesn’t seem great. Sony doesn’t seem great. My childhood love of Nintendo is growing more disillusioned so much so that whenever I see a Mario or Pokemon image on a YouTube video cover, I just know it’s going to be bad news.

I’ll continue to love and value my old skool consoles – I still have all of my old Nintendo consoles from NES on through the Switch. Yes, even that Wii U. I will still continue to collect Switch 1 physical games for my library and make an effort to put time into playing as many of those as I can. Heck, I might even look into collecting physical media for my older systems because that is a thing!

But to be honest, I don’t foresee myself partaking of future console purchases unless something changes big-time and some of these companies can earn my trust again. I already use my PC as the predominant gaming machine in this house and find it hard to pick up a console game to play it. Plus, I’ve been having a lot of fun with my VR Quest headset lately in ways that consoles cannot replicate for me.

Still thinking about a Steam Deck. Seeing that the OG Switch is nearly the same cost, it might be worth it to consider that as an option instead. I just don’t do handheld gaming all that much, so… it might end up a waste. Dunno.

Wonder if I can Steam Link my Samsung tablet… Hm…

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