Nintendo’s sudden announcement of a delay in preorders for its eagerly awaited Switch 2 console has caused a stir of anxiety among gamers. The original plan for the Switch 2 preorder, which was April 9 in the U.S., is now delayed due to the broad tariffs that President Donald Trump announced earlier this week. The worries are even greater for fans who think the Switch successor is already priced higher than it should be.
Nintendo cited the need to “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions” as the primary reason for the postponement, leaving the possibility of a price hike looming over eager consumers. However, Nintendo confirmed that despite the preorder delay, the console will launch on June 5 as planned. The Switch 2 was initially announced at $450, with a $500 bundle including the latest Mario Kart title. A post from GameStop on X said,
“Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged. GameStop will continue to work closely with Nintendo and provide updates as soon as more information becomes available. Stay tuned for further details.”
Even before the tariff concerns, some gamers expressed sticker shock, especially considering the original Switch’s $299 launch price and current game prices ranging from $69.99 to $79.99. The prospect of an even higher price tag has ignited a swift backlash. Some users even discuss cross-border purchases from Canada to avoid inflated U.S. costs potentially.
Even though the Switch 2 is clearly a luxury purchase, this scenario shows how the recently implemented tariffs are set to cause economic disruption by raising the cost of necessities and upending international supply chains.
According to Shihoko Goto, a senior fellow at the Mansfield Foundation, this directly results from the tariffs and portends significant price increases in several industries.
What Will Be Nintendo’s Move?
In 2019, Nintendo moved part of its Switch production from China to Vietnam to reduce tariff risks during the first Trump administration. However, with a hefty 46% levy, the current tariffs unfairly single out Vietnam and penalize businesses that responded to previous calls to shift production from China to nations like Vietnam. This action ignores the economic reality of Vietnam’s trade surplus, which arises from its status as a developing nation with limited purchasing power over American-made goods.
According to trade analysts, Vietnam’s economy and American consumers both benefit from its exports of reasonably priced goods like textiles, electronics, and shoes. However, these tariffs will unavoidably increase the cost of manufacturing and exporting to the U.S. market, and businesses like Nintendo will probably pass these costs on to customers.
This may result in a considerable reduction in the price of optional consumer goods, especially in the electronics industry, making the Switch 2 unaffordable for many. Due to the Switch 2 preorder delay, gamers are now uncertain about the final price and availability.
What do you think of the Switch 2 preorder delay situation? Are you looking to get one in the U.S.? Do tell us in the comments.
Source: Beebom
