Nintendo has had to hit pause on opening pre-orders for the much-anticipated Switch 2 in the United States. This decision follows hot on the heels of the White House’s sweeping tariff announcements that almost cover the entire globe.
“We’re delaying the start of pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. from April 9, 2025, so we can better understand how these tariffs might affect us and the evolving state of the market,” Nintendo shared in an email. Despite this delay, the official launch date remains set for June 5, 2025.
The Switch 2 was officially unveiled on Wednesday with a price tag of $449. Manufactured in China and Vietnam, Nintendo might still be able to dodge the steep tariffs imposed on Chinese imports by shipping consoles from Vietnam to North America. This has been increasingly important since import duties on China spiked earlier in the year.
However, Nintendo’s plans hit a snag with the abrupt release of nearly worldwide tariffs by the White House, just hours after their product announcement. In a surprising twist, the U.S. increased tariffs on Chinese goods to a whopping 54% and slapped a 46% duty on Vietnamese goods, catching many off guard.
This new development might necessitate a revision of the Switch 2’s announced price, especially as the tariffs on Vietnamese goods have taken producers by surprise. Despite this hurdle, there’s still some hope that Nintendo might not need to adjust the price when the console officially hits stores on June 5.
In light of these tariffs, there’s chatter among Vietnamese reporters that Trump’s decision to impose a 46% tariff on Vietnam could be a strategic move to coax negotiations. Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc is set to head to the U.S. soon, and there’s optimism that some concessions could lead to a reduction in these duties.
Yet, if these tariffs stick around come June 5, Nintendo will likely face no other option but to raise the retail price in the U.S. market. That possibility would undoubtedly disappoint fans who were eagerly awaiting this next-generation console. Nintendo isn’t alone in this challenge, as the broad-reaching tariffs are bound to affect other companies as well.
