Nintendo Switch 2 Bundle Adds a Free Game Worth Up to $80 Before September’s $50 Price Hike Kicks In 

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By TGT Staff

Nintendo has announced the Nintendo Switch 2: Choose Your Game Bundle, a limited-time offer launching in early June at participating retailers across the United States. Priced at $499.99 — the same as the current console alone — the bundle includes a Nintendo Switch 2 system and a digital download code for one of three first-party titles: Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, or Pokémon Pokopia.

The offer arrives ahead of a confirmed price revision that will raise the standalone Nintendo Switch 2 to $499.99 in the US from September 1, 2026 — meaning buyers who purchase the bundle before September receive one of these games at no additional cost compared to the console’s incoming price. The announcement followed Nintendo’s May 8, 2026 earnings release, in which the company cited rising memory chip costs and global market conditions as the drivers behind the revision.

The Numbers Behind the Deal

Four figures that define the Nintendo Switch 2: Choose Your Game Bundle.

$499.99
Bundle price — console + 1 game download
$29.99
Maximum saving vs. buying separately
Sep 1
Date standalone Switch 2 reaches $499.99 in the US
3
Games to choose from in the bundle

Pick Your Bundle Game

The bundle includes one download code — your choice. Tap a game below to see the full breakdown.

Racing

Mario Kart World

$79.99 Standalone retail price
Included via download code in this bundle

Mario Kart World is a racing game set across a vast interconnected open environment. Players race across connected courses, with the option to explore the in-game world freely outside of race events. The title supports up to 4K resolution on Switch 2 in TV mode. It is the best-selling Switch 2 game, with 14.7 million units sold as of March 31, 2026.

What’s in the Game
Interconnected open world — courses link into one continuous environment, not isolated circuits.
Free-roam mode — players can drive through the world at their own pace between races.
Up to 4K in TV mode — uses the Switch 2’s enhanced display output.
14.7 million copies sold — top-selling Switch 2 title as of March 31, 2026.
Platformer / Exploration

Donkey Kong Bananza

$69.99 Standalone retail price
Included via download code in this bundle

Donkey Kong Bananza is a destruction-based platformer in which players control Donkey Kong and Pauline through a layered underground world. DK can smash through walls, carve tunnels, punch into terrain, and tear off chunks to throw. Pauline’s singing abilities unlock Bananza Transformations — each granting a distinct set of powers. The game sold 4.52 million units as of March 2026.

What’s in the Game
Full terrain destruction — nearly every surface can be smashed, dug through, or broken apart.
Dual protagonist system — DK provides brute force; Pauline’s singing triggers transformation abilities.
Bananza Transformations — multiple unlockable forms, each with unique mechanics.
Underground layer structure — destruction progressively opens new areas as you dig deeper.
Life Sim / Crafting

Pokémon Pokopia

$69.99 Standalone retail price
Included via download code in this bundle

Pokémon Pokopia is a life simulation game in which players take the role of a Ditto that has transformed into a human. The goal is to restore a withered world through crafting, building, and befriending Pokémon. The title sold approximately 4 million copies in its first five weeks, with physical stock selling out at launch. For more on Pokémon releases, see coverage of Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen on Switch.

What’s in the Game
Ditto protagonist — play as a shape-shifted Ditto using transformation and crafting abilities.
World restoration loop — crafting, building, and befriending Pokémon gradually revives an empty land.
Life sim structure — slower-paced, with crafting and creativity at its core.
~4 million sold in 5 weeks — physical copies sold out at launch; third-largest Switch 2 seller as of March 2026.

The bundle sits at the same $499.99 price as the Mario Kart World bundle that launched alongside the console in June 2025 — but with three games to choose from instead of one. Once the US price hike takes effect on September 1, 2026, the base Switch 2 alone will cost $499.99. At that point, adding any of the three bundled games separately means paying an additional $69.99 or $79.99. The Choose Your Game Bundle closes before that change.

Nintendo cited surging memory chip prices — driven by global AI data centre demand — as well as US tariffs and exchange rate pressures as the drivers behind the revision. In his May 8, 2026 statement, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa described the cost pressures as expected to persist over the “medium to long term.” The price change covers all major markets: Japan moved first on May 25, 2026 (¥49,980 → ¥59,980, a ¥10,000 increase), while Canada (CA$629.99 → CA$679.99) and Europe (€469.99 → €499.99 on My Nintendo Store) follow on September 1.

“We sincerely apologize for the impact these price revisions may have on our customers and other stakeholders, and we deeply appreciate your understanding.” — Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, May 8, 2026 earnings statement

Nintendo sold 19.86 million Switch 2 units in fiscal year 2026 (April 2025–March 2026), alongside 48.71 million Switch 2 software units. The company’s fiscal 2027 forecast projects 16.5 million hardware units — a year-on-year decline attributed in part to the price increase. Software guidance stands at 60 million units, with upcoming titles supporting the pipeline. For context on Nintendo’s wider roadmap, see The Game Tribune’s coverage of the Legend of Zelda live-action movie set for March 2027, and the Super Mario Galaxy movie and Yoshi reveal from the April 2026 Nintendo Direct.

Nintendo has not announced a specific end date for the bundle, stating only that it will be available for a “limited time” while supplies last. Offer start and end dates vary by retailer. Nintendo’s official announcement confirms the offer covers the US market; a separate Pokémon Pokopia-only bundle for Australia was announced simultaneously.

Switch 2 Price Changes by Region

Select a market to see the exact revision and effective date. All figures are MSRP excluding tax, per Nintendo’s official announcements.

Current Price
$449.99
Until August 31, 2026
New Price
$499.99
Effective September 1, 2026
+$50 increase. The bundle offers $499.99 with a bundled game before the standalone console reaches the same price on September 1.
Previous Price
¥49,980
Until May 24, 2026
New Price
¥59,980
Effective May 25, 2026
+¥10,000 increase (approx. 20%). Japan was the first market affected, from May 25, 2026. Switch 1 prices in Japan also increased simultaneously.
Current Price
CA$629.99
Until August 31, 2026
New Price
CA$679.99
Effective September 1, 2026
+CA$50 increase. Canada’s revision shares the same September 1 effective date as the US.
Current Price
€469.99
Until August 31, 2026 (My Nintendo Store)
New Price
€499.99
Effective September 1, 2026
+€30 increase. Confirmed for My Nintendo Store. Nintendo noted other European currency prices will be shared at a later date.

Nintendo Switch 2 — Timeline of Developments

From the console’s global launch to the incoming price revision — the major milestones covered in this piece.

June 5, 2025
Nintendo Switch 2 Global Launch
Switch 2 launched worldwide at $449.99 in the US. The console sold 19.86 million units in its launch fiscal year (ended March 31, 2026). Mario Kart World launched alongside it at $79.99.
2025 — Launch Year
Pokémon Pokopia — ~4 Million Sold in 5 Weeks
Pokémon Pokopia sold approximately 4 million copies in its first five weeks on sale. Physical stock sold out at launch. See also: Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen on Switch.
May 8, 2026
FY2026 Earnings & Price Hike Announced
Nintendo reported 98.6% revenue growth for fiscal year 2026. Alongside the results, global price increases for Switch 2 were announced, citing memory chip cost surges driven by AI demand, US tariffs, and exchange rate pressures. Nintendo’s stock fell approximately 7% in Tokyo that day.
May 12, 2026
Choose Your Game Bundle Announced
Nintendo announced the bundle via an official press release. Priced at $499.99, the bundle includes a download code for Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, or Pokémon Pokopia.
May 25, 2026
Japan Price Hike Takes Effect
Switch 2 in Japan rises from ¥49,980 to ¥59,980. Original Switch line prices in Japan also increased simultaneously. Retailer Bic Camera introduced purchase restrictions to limit bulk buying ahead of the revision.
Early June 2026
Choose Your Game Bundle Goes On Sale
Limited-time bundle launches at participating US retailers for $499.99. Available while supplies last. Start and end dates vary by retailer.
September 1, 2026
US, Canada & Europe Price Hike Takes Effect
Switch 2 standalone price rises to $499.99 in the US, CA$679.99 in Canada, and €499.99 in Europe (My Nintendo Store).

The Nintendo Switch 2: Choose Your Game Bundle was covered above — a limited-time offer at $499.99, pairing the console with a digital download for Mario Kart World ($79.99), Donkey Kong Bananza ($69.99), or Pokémon Pokopia ($69.99), launching in early June 2026 at participating US retailers ahead of the September 1 price revision. Nintendo’s official announcement places the saving at up to $29.99 versus buying the system and game separately. The broader pricing context — covering the May 8 earnings announcement, the memory chip cost pressures, and the global schedule of revisions across the US, Japan, Canada, and Europe — was examined in the sections above.

Nintendo’s full official announcement is available on Nintendo.com. For more on Nintendo’s first-party software and IP pipeline, see The Game Tribune’s reporting on the April 2026 Nintendo Direct and the Mario IP licensing story with Sega.

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