Nintendo Halts Switch 2 Preorders To Consider Price Increase

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Summary

  • Nintendo delays U.S. Switch 2 preorders due to Trump’s tariffs, creates uncertainty.
  • Fresh taxes on imports from China, Vietnam, Japan may increase production costs.
  • Possibility of Switch 2 price increase due to tariffs, international pricing, scalping concerns.

Nintendo has temporarily halted U.S. advance orders for the Switch 2 due to worries regarding upcoming tariffs that will start from April 5. Even though the console is scheduled to release on June 5th, the absence of a new preorder date leaves some uncertainty about Nintendo’s future plans.

According to a formal announcement by The Verge, Nintendo has changed its plan for the start of Switch 2 preorders. Instead of beginning on April 9 as initially announced, the preorder process will now start at a later date.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S. won’t begin on April 9, 2025. They need to evaluate possible tariff effects and market trends first. They’ll share a new timeline later. The launch date of June 5, 2025, remains the same.

Trump’s Tariffs and Their Impact on Nintendo Swtitch 2

Trump’s newly implemented tariffs involve additional charges on goods imported from significant manufacturing centers for video game hardware, such as China, Japan, and Vietnam.

1. A 54% tariff has been imposed on all electronic components and accessories from China, such as chips and circuit boards essential for the Switch 2. This results in increased production costs by 46% for Vietnam’s manufacturing and assembly services. On the other hand, Japan plans to impose a 24% tariff on finished electronics and game cartridges, which could potentially raise the prices of physical game copies and accessories.

Since Nintendo obtains chipsets, cartridges, assembled products, among other things, from various regions, they are now confronted with a significant dilemma: should they bear the additional costs, transfer the production, or potentially raise prices for consumers.

Presently, there’s no announcement about a change in price for the Switch 2. As of now, its release is planned at $449.99, and additional packages like the Mario Kart bundle might cost more than $500. However, considering the increase in production costs due to tariffs, it’s not unlikely that they adjust the price prior to launch.

On previous occasions, tariffs have caused turbulence within the gaming sector. Based on past trends, it’s possible that Nintendo might try to offset costs by modifying their supply chains or postponing price increases; however, a rise could still be unavoidable if these tariffs persist for an extended period.

In regions outside the U.S., these tariffs might spark a chain reaction in worldwide marketplaces. For instance, if Nintendo opts to increase its domestic product prices, foreign retailers might adjust their prices similarly to preserve consistent pricing across markets.

Additionally, let’s not forget about scalping. As we’ve witnessed, popular products such as the PS5 and Steam Deck have been exploited by scalpers. If the release of the Switch 2 gets postponed, it may become an appealing prospect for these resellers to target.

At this moment, what’s definite is the ambiguity. Nintendo is planning to reevaluate their approach and modify preorder arrangements in due time; however, considering Trump’s tariffs, it would be prudent to anticipate possible adjustments.

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2025-04-04 19:43