- Updated: March 26, 2026
- 5 min read
Nex Playground Price Hike Sparks Debate Over Playground Costs
Skip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonThe VergeThe Verge logo.The surprise hit Nex Playground is the latest console to get a price hikeEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingThe surprise hit Nex Playground is the latest console to get a price hikeThe Kinect-like device will cost $299 starting in April.The Kinect-like device will cost $299 starting in April.by Andrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterSenior entertainment editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew WebsterMar 25, 2026, 8:25 PM UTCLinkShareGiftPhoto by Sean Hollister / The VergeAndrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew Webster is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.Everything about video games is getting more expensive, and soon that will include a budget-friendly console. The Nex Playground — a Kinect-like device aimed at families that made headlines by outselling the Xbox over the holidays last year — will cost $299 starting on April 1st, a $50 bump.In a statement on the Nex Playground site, co-founder and CEO David Lee cited a number of familiar reasons for the higher price point:Over the past six months, the cost of key components — especially memory (DDR) and storage (eMMC) — has risen significantly across the industry. These increases are driven in part by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, which is reshaping global supply and demand for these parts. You may have seen reports about the broader memory shortage.Like many consumer electronics companies, we’ve worked hard to absorb these cost increases for as long as possible. However, at current levels, it’s no longer something we can sustainably carry on our own.Of course, Nex isn’t alone. A similar list of reasons also caused all three of the big console manufacturers — Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft — to raise hardware prices last year. One thing Nex didn’t specifically cite was Trump’s tariffs, which have impacted the price of all sorts of gadgets.Nintendo is currently suing the US government over them.RelatedThe RAM shortage is coming for everything you care aboutThe sold-out Nex Playground made my kids laugh and cryWhile the Nex Playground itself is getting more expensive, the company says that its “play pass” subscription service will remain at the current price. Given that one of the major selling points of the device is its comparatively low price, it seems the hike was a last resort.“We understand this increase may make Nex Playground less accessible for some families,” Lee said, “and we are truly sorry.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterSenior entertainment editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew WebsterEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsMost PopularMost PopularThe United States router ban, explainedSony and Honda ain’t feelin’ the Afeela anymoreSeiko resurrected a 44-year-old digital watch NASA astronauts wore to spaceThe best deals we’ve found from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale (so far)Intel and LG Display may have beaten Apple and Qualcomm with the best laptop battery life everThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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