Nintendo is now selling the Switch for $399 CAD in Canada, the same price it charged for the system when it launched in March 2017.
This revised price is notable because Nintendo had actually slashed the price to $379 CAD in June 2018.
The change was first spotted by Twitter user Lbabinz.
FYI: Looks like Nintendo Canada has put the MSRP of the Nintendo Switch console back up to $399.99 ($20 more than the $379.99 MSRP is has had for the last while) https://t.co/QlJWb0GgTF pic.twitter.com/OmcdWLVs8U
— Lbabinz 🇨🇦 (@Lbabinz) August 5, 2019
Nintendo of Canada hasn’t publicly commented on the price increase, although the change is now reflected on its official website, as well as Best Buy Canada and EB Games Canada‘s websites.
MobileSyrup has reached out to Nintendo of Canada for comment and will update this story once a response has been received.
Given that there’s been no official word from Nintendo, it’s unclear exactly why the price has been changed seemingly out of the blue. However, it’s likely that it has to do with the Switch hardware revision that’s set to be introduced in August.
As revealed last month, Nintendo is gearing up to launch an updated Switch model with improved battery life. According to Nintendo’s website, the new Switch will boast a battery life of 4.5 to nine hours, as opposed to the previous 2.6 to 6.5 hours. For context, this will allow for about 5.5 hours of playtime in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, compared to the three hours that is possible with the original Switch.
Otherwise, the system will function exactly the same as the first Switch model. It’s possible that the old Switch model will be discontinued in favour of the updated console, although that has yet to be confirmed.
It’s worth noting that the price increase will result in a larger cost difference between the Switch and the more affordable Switch Lite. The latter device is priced at $260 CAD and is set to launch in Canada on September 20th. Nintendo removed the Switch’s dock to slash the price of the Switch Lite.
