The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular consoles of all time, with over 140M units sold to date. With an extensive library of exclusive titles available, you can spend hundreds of hours exploring the library without ever getting bored. With so many games to play, a Nintendo Switch is a must-own console if you wish to play some of the most popular games each year. 2024 is set to bring a remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a remaster of Luigi's Mansion 2, and many more upcoming Switch games we've yet to discover.
Like all hardware, the Nintendo Switch tends to go on sale at specific points throughout the year. If you are interested in picking up Nintendo's portable system, you can snag a Switch on sale if you buy at the right time. We've compiled together the best times to buy a Nintendo Switch below, complete with every sale you might see a deal at.
Best Times to Buy a Nintendo Switch
Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Like most video game consoles, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best times of the year to buy a Nintendo Switch. Each year, Nintendo has released the same console bundle for Black Friday: a Red/Blue Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundled in for free. While this deal is priced at $299 every year, it is possible Nintendo will discount it further as the Switch approaches the end of its lifetime.
We've also seen Black Friday deals on Nintendo Switch Lite, where a free game and discount are bundled together. It is anyone's guess as to what Nintendo will have to offer for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024, but we would count on the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle returning for another go around.
2024 will likely see some of the best Switch deals ever considering the Switch 2 will be releasing sometime in 2025.
Holiday Weekends
Another great time to pick up a Nintendo Switch is one of the major holiday weekends in the United States. This includes Memorial Day Weekend, Independence Day, President's Day, and Labor Day. More often than not, retailers like Walmart and Best Buy will host exclusive three day sales, which sometimes can include deals on Nintendo Switch hardware. These discounts usually are locked behind memberships like Walmart + and My Best Buy Plus/Total, so do keep this in mind if you are aiming for the best deals.
Amazon Prime Day
Prime Day is always one of the most popular sales events of the year, and naturally, you can usually find a good Nintendo Switch deal here. In addition to hardware, dozens of games and Switch accessories are always on sale. This makes Prime Day one of the best times to buy a Nintendo Switch, as you can save money on both the console and accessories alongside it.
Prime Day 2, which takes place in October, also acts as the beginning of the Black Friday deals season. This event usually takes place sometime in October based on past years. So, any major Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals are likely to be available during this sales event as well.
Clearance Sales
Recently, retailers like Woot have listed Nintendo Switch models for prices we've rarely seen before, sometimes up to $75 off. These deals happen spontaneously, mostly when the retailer is clearing inventory out. To catch these deals as they happen, we recommend following the IGN Deals account to get notified immediately.
It's also worth mentioning that these same retailers offer open-box and refurbished units at an even lower price, so if you are okay with open-box purchases, consider this as an option. These consoles are certified, which means the retailer has tested and verified the condition of the console. Often, the "Excellent" refurbished consoles are simply open box, with not a scratch on the system itself.
Nintendo Switch 2 is Coming Soon
Nintendo Switch is officially seven years old as of March 2024, with its eighth year in the market officially underway. Since console generations tend to last around seven to eight years at the very most, we do expect Nintendo to release a Switch successor sometime within the next nine months. According to recent reports, Nintendo Switch 2 is likely to feature magnetic Joy-Con, a 1080p screen, and more.
Since a release date is on the horizon, the price of Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED are all likely to drop significantly as we head closer to Switch 2. If you are comfortable waiting to purchase a Switch, you can likely score the console at an all-time low towards winter 2024.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium. His favorite series include Xeno and Final Fantasy.
