Okay, so if the uncertainty about tariffs are a factor in the price then why aren’t the consoles cheaper everywhere outside the US? If you look at it, they’re (taking exchange rates into consideration) even more expensive elsewhere. In Europe, it’s €450 which translates to almost 500 dollars. And Europe is not even the worst one, the homies in Canada and Australia are getting screwed even harder.
I think it’s more or less just a cash grab. They know people will buy it even at this premium price and they don’t care if they lose some sales. The increase is so big that even if you lose some sales, you’ll make more money in the end anyway. It’s gross.
In Canada it’s $629CAD, in Ontario with 13% sales tax that comes to about $710CAD, which is about $9CAD higher than 450EUR.
In the US, $450USD comes to $639CAD, which means the pre-tax CAD price is actually CHEAPER than the USD price. On top of all of that, they just announced preorders are paused in the US due to tariffs.
I actually think Canada is getting off pretty good here. If you can get your hands on 2, I suspect the Canadian model will be doing gang busters on eBay for all the Americans looking for one, so that’s a nice bonus too.
switch 2 is way less versatile than the steam deck and way more in CAD. I got my 512GB deck for $419. I can watch streaming services (or plex/jellyfin etc), I can use it as a full computer, I can run tons of emulators for retro games, I can use all my storefronts… I already own literally hundreds of games on it. Hard sell for me after getting a deck, and I say that as someone who loved and played the shit out of my switch1.
On the one hand an expensive new console with limited software and a few high-price games for casual gaming.
On the other hand, basically a handheld PC, available in a wide price and power range, with loads and loads of games in a wide price spectrum.
