Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals 2022: what to expect this year
Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals are some of the most popular offers of the holiday period and, considering we've already seen some excellent discounts and bundles in 2022 so far, this year's savings may well be the best yet. We're expecting plenty of games and accessories to hit record low prices in this year's sale, and we're holding out hope for more of those rare console price cuts as well.
That's why it's important to know just what to expect in November - after all, you may well spot an offer before then that likely won't be beaten. We've been tracking these holiday sales for years now, so we know what to look for. Not only that, but we keep a close watch over Nintendo Switch deals year round, so we know when a sale is extra special.
We're looking forward to some particularly strong Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals this year - with the standard edition and OLED model both seeing rare price cuts across the US and UK throughout the year. That means we could be enjoying some of the best holiday discounts yet come November 25.
We're rounding up all our predictions for this year's offers just below, and bringing you all the dates, prices, and models you need to be aware of ahead of November's full Black Friday gaming deals.
When will Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals start?
Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals will officially kick off on November 25 this year, but we do see these discounts actually landing in the week leading up to the main event. Retailers have made a season of the holiday sales, though, offering plenty of savings from October onwards - though we do tend to see the highest value offers in this week period.
Where will the best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals be?
We'll be rounding up all the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals right here, but if you're going it alone you'll find a list of recommended retailers and their specialities just below.
US
Amazon: regular savings on games and accessories
Best Buy: often the first to offer high value bundles
Newegg: best for cheap accessories - avoid third party console prices
Walmart: offers strong discounts on official controllers
GameStop: often stocks plenty of bundles over bigger sales periods
UK
Amazon: sometimes offers rare price cuts on Switch Lite
Argos: free cases and cheap games often included with consoles
Currys: has historically had the widest selection of bundles
John Lewis: regular discounts on games and accessories
Very: OLED bundle restocks sometimes available for pre-order
Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals: what to expect
We may well see some of the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals yet in 2022. That's because we've seen the OLED model drop as low as $330 / £289 (usually $349.99 / £309.99) this year already, and the standard edition console has also taken a price cut for the first time as well. Back in May we watched this price briefly drop from the $299 MSRP to $259, meanwhile the UK has been enjoying a permanent price drop from £279 to £259 year-round. That means we could well see similar and even deeper savings running through the November sales.
If you're after a bundle offer, though, you'll have to move quickly. We see some of the biggest bundles running of the shelves exceptionally fast during Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals.
Last year, for example, there was only one Nintendo Switch bundle doing the rounds throughout the sale event. You could pick up a console, a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a three-month Nintendo Switch Online subscription for $299.99 last year. That's the MSRP of the console itself, a price that remains the best we've seen in a long time.
With more stock on the shelves and an OLED model competing at a similar price point, it's likely we'll see far more bundles in 2022. Releases like Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Pokemon Legends: Arceus have been on the shelves long enough to be included in these offers. However, older titles like Breath of the Wild and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate still remain popular whenever they hit their own discounts as well.
Which Nintendo Switch games will be on sale for Black Friday?
Nintendo Switch game sales rarely hit the biggest titles on Nintendo's shelves. However, we have been seeing prices wavering across original releases like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
You'll often find $10 / £10 off these titles throughout the year, but Black Friday video game deals is the time for real steals. In the past we've seen first party titles take an extra $10 off, dropping down to $39.99 rather than the usual $49.99 discounted rate. However, those kinds of prices have been popping up more and more in recent weeks, which means we may see even bigger discounts on these blockbuster games in 2022.
Titles like Paper Mario: The Origami King, Luigi's Mansion 3, and Super Mario Odyssey have all fallen to between $30 and $35 so far this year. That bodes extremely well for Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals on older titles.
But what about the new games? Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Switch Sports, and Splatoon 3 are the go-to titles for headline deals this year. So far, we've seen a few $10 discounts on these games here and there, so it's reasonable to assume they will follow the same pattern as the titles before them.
Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals: which accessories will be on sale?
We'll also be seeing all the regular savings on the best Nintendo Switch accessories, however controllers are likely to see the biggest savings in this year's Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals.
Official Nintendo items like the Pro Controller and Joy-Con have been stuck at the same sales prices throughout the year. These devices rarely drop down to a new price tier, so we can expect the same $59.99 price tag on the Pro Controller at Amazon and a $69 cost for Joy-Con at Walmart. These are tried and tested offers that return sale after sale, so we would be surprised if prices dropped further in 2022.
However, third party controllers like those on offer from PowerA and PDP often come in significantly cheaper and older releases can plummet in price during larger sale events. PDP's wired gamepads will be available for well under $20 this year, considering we've seen $17.99 sale prices popping up throughout the course of 2022.
How to find the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals
Not every Black Friday Nintendo Switch deal is going to be perfect for everyone. In fact, one player's dream bundle would be a last resort for another. That means it's important to head into the sale knowing what you want, but with the flexibility to make sure you still get great value.
However, before we dive into what makes a good bundle, and how you can make sure you're getting the best price possible, it's worth noting that you might have to turn up a little early to get the best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals.
Last year we saw the season's only bundle (in the US) run out of stock just a few hours into the event. A standard edition console with a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of Nintendo Switch Online is the holy grail here, but this $299 package has only ever appeared during holiday sales and generally only sticks around for a few hours at a time.
That means you'll need to move fast to pounce on any headline offers, especially if they're landing before the main event. With that said, we are expecting more Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals on consoles themselves this year, so there should be a little more room to snag the perfect offer here.
If you already know which game you're going to be diving into first, it makes sense to look for that title bundled in with your console. However, it's worth noting the release date of your day one purchase, as there is a sweet spot in bundle inclusion - in both the US and UK. Generally we see the latest and greatest titles included in the highest value bundles; games that wouldn't normally see discounts by themselves just yet but are still around $10 / £10 off when bought with a console.
These are rare, but often the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals around. If, however, you're after something from the last couple of years, things could go either way. Retailers may include older games for free in their Black Friday bundles, as these titles will likely be heavily discounted by themselves anyway. However, if you are still paying for the game itself within that package price it's essential that you double check you can't pick both items up for less.
We often see retailers tripping over each other a little here - sometimes even the same retailer will offer a lower price for a game than it is currently being sold at with a bundle. You'll likely still be able to find Nintendo Switch stock at $299 / £259 (though straight discounts are more of a possibility than ever this year), so make sure you really are getting the best value possible by shopping around a little before heading to checkout.
Last year's best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals
Nintendo Switch games | $59.99 $39.99 at Best Buy
Save $20 - Some of the latest first party Nintendo Switch games were $20 off at Best Buy last year - including the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Paper Mario: Origami King, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, and Mario Maker 2. T
Nintendo Switch | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 3 months Nintendo Switch online | $299.99 at Amazon
This Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle was available but quickly ran out of stock during the height of Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals last year. This bundle was previously offering the standard console with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of Nintendo Switch Online for just $299.99.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | $59.99 $35 at Walmart
Save $25 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild rarely drops down below $40, which made this $25 discount at Walmart well worth a look. This was a must-have title for anyone picking up a Switch last holiday season.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury | $59.99 $49.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - Super Mario 3D World had spent some considerable time on the shelves, but this particular title was still resistant to discounts. This was a return to the lowest price we'd ever seen on the 3D platformer, with a $10 discount that had only appeared a couple of times over the year.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | $59.99 $49.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - The classic kart racer should be top of your list of day one Nintendo Switch games, and Amazon was offering $10 off that $59.99 MSRP last year.
Pokemon Nintendo Switch clutch case | $24.99 $19.99 at Amazon
Save $5 - This was the first discount we'd seen on the Pokemon Nintendo Switch clutch case, so whether you're keeping your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite safe and secure, you could find an excellent offer up for grabs here.
Nintendo eShop $50 gift card | $50 $45 at Newegg
Save $5 - You could use promo code BFFRDY33 to save $5 on this $50 eShop gift card, giving those who regularly pick up digital Nintendo Switch games a free $5. That's undeniable value for those who regularly shop on Nintendo's official digital store.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit | $99.99 $59.99 at Best Buy
Save $40 - Walmart previously had Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit down to $50, but that offer quickly ended. Still Best Buy picked up the slack later on in the sale, offering a $59.99 sales price on the Mario Edition of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit.
Ring Fit Adventure | $79.99 $54 at Amazon
Save $25 - You were saving $25 on Ring Fit Adventure last year - an additional $5 over previous Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals. In fact, we hadn't even seen $20 off the at-home workout game in the lead up to official sales, making this offer particularly impressive.
PowerA Enhanced Wired controller for Nintendo Switch | $27.99 $13.99 at Best Buy
Save $14 - The PowerA Enhanced wired controller dropped down to $13.99 at Best Buy- an excellent price for a cheap third party controller for those larger multiplayer sessions.
Last year's best UK deals
Nintendo Switch OLED | Metroid Dread | £359.98 £339.98 at Very
Save £20 - Very had the Nintendo Switch OLED available for pre-order with a copy of Metroid Dread available for £20 off. That was perfect if you're on the hunt for the latest console.
Nintendo Switch OLED | Minecraft | 256GB memory card | £349 at Currys
If you were after a cheaper Nintendo Switch OLED bundle, you could find this £349 sales price on a console, a copy of Minecraft, and a 256GB memory card. That's excellent considering this is such a difficult to find piece of kit.
Nintendo Switch | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Minecraft | 3 months Nintendo Switch Online | £269.99 at Very
You were getting some stunning value on this standard edition console in Very's Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals. Not only were there two games included in this bundle but you were also getting the three months of Nintendo Switch Online as well - all for just £10 more than the price of the console by itself.
Nintendo Switch | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Nintendo Switch Online 3 months | £259.99 at Argos
Argos had the Black Friday Nintendo Switch bundle of the year. You could pick up the red and blue standard edition with a copy of Mario Kart 8: Deluxe and three months of Nintendo Switch Online for the price of the console alone. That was a stunning offer, and easily one of the best we'd seen all year.
Metroid Dread | £41.66 £36.99 at Amazon
Save £10 - Metroid Dread was only a month old here, but you could already grab it for £10 off in Amazon's Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals. Fans new and old of the series were celebrating this record low price.
It's best to use the time between today and the big weekend to get some research done. We're rounding up all the best Nintendo Switch headsets and cheap Nintendo Switch controllers so that you can get ready for the big weekend.
We're also getting you prepped for all this year's Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Xbox deals to boot. Or, if you're after something more Steam-flavored, take a look at everything we expect to see from Black Friday gaming laptop deals and Black Friday gaming PC deals in 2022.
