Nintendo has recently made a surprising announcement by pushing back the pre-orders for the much-anticipated Switch 2 in the United States. This decision coincides with a significant White House announcement about new tariffs affecting a large part of the globe. In a statement provided to Tom’s Hardware, Nintendo explained, “We are postponing the start of pre-orders in the U.S. to evaluate the potential consequences of these tariffs and changing market conditions. We plan to provide updated information on the timing in the near future.” Notably, the Switch 2’s official launch date remains set for June 5, 2025.
The Switch 2 was only unveiled yesterday, sporting a price tag of $449. Nintendo’s manufacturing operations are primarily based in China and Vietnam. Although the U.S. has targeted China with hefty import duties previously, products shipped from Vietnam to North America have generally managed to skirt these tariffs, potentially providing a loophole for Nintendo to navigate around the barriers imposed by earlier trade policies.
However, the timing appears to be challenging for Nintendo. Mere hours after the Switch 2’s reveal, the White House announced broad-ranging tariffs that caught many off guard. As part of Trump’s “Liberation Day” initiatives, he has ramped up U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports to an eye-watering 54%. Compounding issues for Nintendo, Vietnam is also unexpectedly facing a 46% duty.
With Vietnamese tariffs shooting up so dramatically, Nintendo may find sticking to the original price a daunting task. Consumers, eager to get their hands on the new console which is already priced at a premium—50% more than the first Switch—are surely hoping for some reprieve. We remain optimistic that Nintendo will be able to stick to its announced price for the June release.
Some analysts and media commentators from Vietnam suggest that the 46% tariff level could be a strategic move. It seems that Trump might intend this as a nudge for Vietnam to engage in trade discussions. In fact, Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc is scheduled to visit the U.S. soon. Should Vietnam be able to negotiate a more favorable trade arrangement, these high tariffs might then be reduced.
Still, if these steep 46% tariffs on Vietnamese products are not adjusted by the launch date, Nintendo might be forced to shift these extra costs onto the consumers, resulting in a higher retail price for the console in the U.S. market. Such an increase would surely disappoint fans, but with the widespread impact of the tariffs, Nintendo won’t be alone in facing such challenges.
