A while back in this post #895609, I did a breakdown of game prices over the decades and what they looked like when adjusted for inflation.

Now, since the Switch 2 has just dropped and is Nintendo's most expensive console launch (in pure fiat terms), I thought I would look back and then adjust for inflation.

So, looking back, here's what we have (inflation-adjusted numbers calculated using https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/)

So yes, at $449.99, the Switch 2 is the most expensive Nintendo console at launch in nominal terms.

But in inflation-adjusted terms, it's still cheaper than the NES, SNES, or N64 were at their 2025-equivalent prices. Although we could also argue that purchasing power is more in the toilet than ever before. Still, it is what it is.

Now, for extra fun, let's look at Sega, Xbox, and PlayStation over time too. For this one, I just asked ChatGPT to calculate the inflation adjustments (it adjusted to 2024 prices). For Nintendo, I plugged in the numbers manually, so take this with a pinch of salt

So the most expensive in history was the 60g PS3, imagine the headlines if a console was over 900 bucks now!