The global economy is doing some strange things lately — strange, bad things. There’s inflation and tariff chaos, and lots of stuff is noticeably more expensive than it was just a few years ago. I’m old enough to remember when game consoles would come down in price over their lifespan. Now they become more expensive.
First price hikes came to Xbox, and now Nintendo has raised prices on Switch 1 hardware. However, apparently Walmart didn’t get the memo, because it’s selling the Switch OLED for just $299. That’s a $100 savings against the current MSRP, and it’s even cheaper than the original price, pre-hike. I wouldn’t expect this deal to last long, though, so grab one if you want one.
Get a Switch OLED for $299
Nintendo Switch OLED (White)
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Nintendo just announced the price hikes last week, and Target implemented the new prices immediately. Other retailers have followed suit, so I wouldn’t expect this Walmart deal to last very long. The price will inevitably go to MSRP.
Should You Buy a Switch OLED When the Switch 2 Is Out?
The obvious question is who wants to buy a Switch 1 when the Switch 2 is now available (and the shortage is over)? Likely, very few people should buy a Switch 1 now. Anyone interested in playing video games for the next five to seven years (i.e. this Nintendo console generation) should not buy a Switch 1 in the year 2025. They should buy a Switch 2. That’s my advice to most people: don’t buy a Switch 1 right now. The Switch 2 can play nearly the entire Switch 1 catalog, often with faster load times, plus it will be able to play all the Switch 2 games that come out in the next decade.
But if you some special reason to want a Switch OLED, maybe you have a game console collection, or you desperately want that gorgeous OLED display, this is the time to buy. This thing is rarely discounted. It’s gotten some Black Friday bundle deals, and third-party retailers have offered discounts from time to time. But in all the years it’s been on the market, it has never gotten an official MSRP discount. The price stayed the same from its 2017 release until last week — when the price went up.
So if you’re sure you want to add a Switch OLED to your collection, this is the time to buy one. It’s definitely not something I’d recommend for everyone — most people should buy a Switch 2 before its possible (maybe even probable?) price hike. But if for whatever reason you’re sure you want a Switch OLED, this is the deal you’ve been waiting for.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
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