Recently, Nintendo made the decision to postpone the pre-order phase for the eagerly awaited Switch 2 in the United States. This move comes just a couple of days after an unexpected announcement from the White House regarding widespread tariffs that will impact a large number of countries.
In an email to Tom’s Hardware, Nintendo explained, “We are holding off on commencing pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S., which were originally scheduled for April 9, 2025. This pause allows us to evaluate the potential effects of the new tariffs and shifting market conditions. We will provide an update on this when we have more information. It’s important to note that the actual release date of June 5, 2025, remains unchanged.”
Nintendo recently shared that the Switch 2 would hit the market at a price of $449. The consoles are being manufactured in China and Vietnam, and while there have been prior threats of hefty import duties on Chinese goods, Nintendo was relying on exporting units from Vietnam. This strategy aimed to evade the increased tariffs previously imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese imports earlier this year.
However, the sudden imposition of nearly worldwide tariffs might have caught Nintendo off guard, occurring just hours after unveiling the Switch 2. With the White House’s new declaration—branded as “Liberation Day”—tariffs on Chinese imports have now soared to 54%. Unexpectedly, Vietnam hasn’t been spared, facing a significant 46% tariff.
This official shift implies that Nintendo’s initially advertised price might be in jeopardy due to these major tariff adjustments for Vietnamese goods. It’s an unfortunate turn for both the company and consumers, especially since the new handheld console is already priced 50% higher than its predecessor, the original Switch. Despite this, there’s still optimism that Nintendo will manage to keep the initially communicated price point for the console when it becomes available on June 5th.
Meanwhile, some journalists in Vietnam believe that the hefty 46% tariff was perhaps used by Trump as a strategic maneuver to bring Vietnam into negotiations. With Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc planning a trip to the U.S. soon, there might be room for discussions that lead to a reduction in these tariffs, provided both nations find agreeable terms.
Nevertheless, if the steep tariffs on Vietnamese products persist until June 5th, Nintendo might end up having to adjust the retail price of the console to offset the import taxes, effectively passing the costs onto consumers. This would undoubtedly be disheartening for the many Nintendo enthusiasts out there. Yet, given the broad application of these tariffs, Nintendo is far from being the only company grappling with these challenges.
