Nintendo Delays Pre-Orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the US to Assess Impact of Trump Tariffs

Eager fans will have to wait a little longer to reserve their Nintendo Switch 2 in the US after Nintendo delayed pre-orders for its next console in the country in light of widespread international tariffs announced by the Trump administration. The company said the Switch 2's launch date of June 5 would not change, but pre-orders would be delayed to a later unspecified date while it assesses the market impact of tariffs.

Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Delayed

In a statement shared with IGN and other games media outlets, Nintendo said Switch 2 pre-orders in the US would not begin on April 9 as announced earlier.

“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,” the company said in the statement shared on Friday. “Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”

The announcement comes after the Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs on imports from countries around the world, sending shockwaves across global stock markets and wiping over $6 trillion (roughly Rs. 5,14,59,900 crore) on Wall Street in two days. The anticipated US tariffs were said to be a reason behind the high pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 in the first place. It's unclear if Nintendo will assess the market situation and raise prices for its new console before it launches on June 5.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is priced at $449.99 (roughly Rs. 38,500) in the US for the sole 256GB storage option. The console will also be available in a Mario Kart World bundle that will sell for a suggested retail price of $499.99 (roughly Rs. 42,725).

Impact of Tariffs

Last week, US President Donald Trump imposed 10 percent tariffs on imports from other countries, with much higher tariffs on imports from countries like China, Japan, Vietnam and others. According to analysts, the tariffs are likely to adversely impact the video games industry at large. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the trade body for the games industry in the US, told IGN Friday that Trump tariffs would have a “real and detrimental impact on the industry.” ESA spokesperson Aubrey Quinn told the publication that the tariffs would impact pricing, consumer spending and revenues, which could lead to further layoffs in the games industry.

Nintendo fully unveiled the Switch 2 in an hour-long Nintendo Direct livestream on April 2, finally sharing details about the hybrid console and the games coming to it in 2025 and beyond. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be available from June 5.