Nintendo Is Raising the Switch 2 Price — But Costco Has a Bundle That Beats the Hike
Nintendo of America will raise the U.S. price of the Nintendo Switch 2 from $449.99 to $499.99 on September 1, 2026 (Nintendo). The $50 increase affects the standalone console, which launched earlier this year at $449.99 (Nintendo).
Costco is currently offering its members a bundle that helps with that. Listed on costco.com as item number 4000435562, the "Nintendo Switch 2 + NSO + Memory Card Bundle" includes the console, a 256GB memory card, and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack individual membership for $499.99 (Costco). That price matches what the console alone will cost after September 1.
The math is simple. The 256GB memory card sells for $59 on its own, and a one-year Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack membership costs $49.99 (The Verge). Together, those add-ons are worth $108.99. Whether you compare the bundle to today's $449.99 console price or the future $499.99 price, you get $108.99 worth of extras included for the same $499.99.
The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of built-in storage, but some of that space is taken up by the system's own software (Costco). You can add more storage using a type of memory card called microSD Express, which is a newer, faster version of the cards the original Switch used. The 256GB card in the bundle roughly doubles the available storage. That matters because Switch 2 game files are much larger than on the previous console.
The Expansion Pack is Nintendo's higher-level subscription. It covers online multiplayer play, gives access to a library of classic games from older consoles like the N64 and Game Boy Advance, and includes bonus content for certain Nintendo titles. The bundle comes with an individual membership, not a family plan (Costco), so a household with multiple Nintendo accounts would need to decide whether upgrading to a family membership makes sense.
Costco is also running two other Switch 2 configurations. A "Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle" pairs the console with the popular racing game (Costco). A "Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories Bundle" includes a Pro Controller, a Switch 2 Camera, and a Samsung-branded 256GB microSD Express card (Costco). Neither of those includes the online membership.
Nintendo itself is preparing a "Choose Your Game Bundle" for the Switch 2, priced at $499.99 and including a game download code alongside the console, launching in summer 2026 (Nintendo). That puts Nintendo's own bundle at the same price as the Costco deal, giving buyers a direct choice: a bundled game, or a memory card plus a year of online service.
The timing of Costco's offer is worth noting. With the September 1 price increase set, the standalone console is about to go up by 11 percent. The Costco bundle is already priced at $499.99. Today, that $499.99 gets you the console plus $108.99 in extras. After September 1, $499.99 at regular retail gets you just the console, making everything in the Costco bundle effectively free on top of the purchase.
For the Switch 2, extra storage and an online subscription are the two things most buyers end up purchasing after getting the console. Having them included from the start removes that extra step for people who would likely buy both anyway.
The Costco listing does not say whether the bundle is a limited-time promotion or a permanent product. It does have a formal item number and its own product page, which suggests it is a standard catalog item rather than a short-term sale. Costco has offered similar bundles for past console launches, though the exact contents and prices vary.
In my view, if you were already planning to buy a memory card and an online membership alongside a Switch 2, the Costco bundle is the most cost-effective way to do that. Once the September 1 price hike takes effect, the savings only get bigger.
