Why Every Major Console Got More Expensive in 2026

If it feels like every console got more expensive at once in 2026, that's not a coincidence — all three platform holders have pointed to the same underlying cause.

Sony moved first, and twice

The standard PS5 rose from $499.99 to $549.99 in August 2025, then to $649.99 in April 2026 (Digital Edition to $599.99, PS5 Pro to $899.99 — a $150 jump on the Pro alone).

Microsoft was the most specific about the cause

Raising Xbox Series X|S prices for the third time on August 1, 2026 (Series X to $799.99, Series S to $499.99), Microsoft stated directly: "console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027." Microsoft also discontinued its 2TB Series X model in the same announcement.

Nintendo followed, delayed to September

Nintendo confirmed a Switch 2 increase from $449.99 to $499.99, effective September 1, 2026 — its first-ever mid-generation price change to Switch hardware, just 15 months after launch. Nintendo has separately pointed to memory costs, currency exchange rates, and tariff-driven manufacturing shifts.

The common thread is memory, not console-specific costs

Every major console relies on GDDR6/LPDDR5X memory and NAND flash storage — the same components AI data center buildouts have been buying at enormous scale through 2025-2026, pushing global memory prices up industry-wide.

What this means for buyers today

None of the three companies has signaled prices are coming back down. If you were planning a Switch 2, the September 1, 2026 deadline is real and confirmed directly by Nintendo.