Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards Quietly Rise to 8,980 Yen
The price hike lands on the only storage expansion option the Switch 2 supports, making the increase effectively unavoidable for owners who need more space.
Key Facts
- The Samsung and SanDisk microSD Express Card 256GB for Nintendo Switch 2 each rose from 6,980 yen to 8,980 yen including tax at the Nintendo Store.
- The price revision was in effect by August 17, with the SanDisk version out of stock at the Nintendo Store as of that date.
- The Nintendo Switch 2 console itself rose from 49,980 yen to 59,980 yen in May 2026.
- The Switch 2 only supports microSD Express cards, not standard microSD cards used with the original Switch.
- No official announcement from Nintendo or the manufacturers about the microSD card price increase has been confirmed.
Reporting from 2 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Automaton.
The officially licensed 'microSD Express Card 256GB for Nintendo Switch 2' has received a quiet price increase at the Nintendo Store. Both the Samsung and SanDisk versions, previously sold for 6,980 yen including tax, now carry a price of 8,980 yen including tax. The new pricing has also appeared at various e-commerce stores. As of August 17, the SanDisk version is out of stock at the Nintendo Store. No official announcement from Nintendo or the manufacturers has been confirmed regarding the revision. The price change follows a May increase for the Nintendo Switch 2 console itself, which rose from 49,980 yen to 59,980 yen. The Switch 2 only supports microSD Express cards, a new standard with improved read and write speeds, and is not compatible with standard microSD cards used with the original Switch. Market conditions, including rising semiconductor prices, are cited as a likely factor behind the increase.
The price revision applies to the 256GB cards from both Samsung and SanDisk, which carry the red Mario M logo. The cards launched on the Switch 2 release date as the console's only compatible storage expansion, since the system does not accept standard microSD cards. This limitation had already driven a surge in microSD Express prices before the console launched.
The Nintendo Store now lists both cards at 8,980 yen including tax, a 2,000 yen increase. The SanDisk version shows as out of stock as of August 17. The increase mirrors the console's own price adjustment in May, when the domestic Switch 2 model went from 49,980 yen to 59,980 yen. Neither Nintendo nor the card manufacturers have issued a statement about the change, and the revised pricing has spread across multiple retail channels.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.