| Mobile Web

Handheld game consoles seen shifting from affordable alternatives as prices rise

Handheld game consoles are moving into price ranges that make them harder to view as inexpensive alternatives, according to an analysis. Devices that once let users play PC and console games at relatively low cost are seeing sharp price increases, including Valve’s Steam Deck and Nintendo’s Switch 2. The Verge cited higher memory and storage costs, tariffs and higher oil prices. As prices climb, the market is shifting toward higher-priced, discretionary hobby devices.