Nintendo Delays Pre-Orders For Nintendo Switch 2 "To Assess The Potential Impact Of Tariffs"
Nintendo announced it will delay pre-orders for its recently announced Nintendo Switch 2 console/handheld.
At the beginning of this month, Nintendo announced that “Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for pre-order in North America from participating retailers beginning on April 9, 2025.”
The system was announced to retail at $449.99 although there is also a bundle for $499.99 that includes Mario Kart World.
However, a Nintendo spokesman informed Polygon that it will be delaying the pre-order date due to President Donald Trump’s new tariffs.
The spokesman stated, “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.”
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President Donald Trump and his administration announced on April 2nd it was declaring a national emergency to increase the United States of America’s competitive edge and would be imposing tariffs on various countries. In a press release, the administration stated that President Trump’s “order imposes responsive tariffs to strengthen the international economic position of the United States and protect American workers.”
Japan, where Nintendo is based, was specifically mentioned in the order with the administration stating, “Countries including China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea have pursued policies that suppress the domestic consumption power of their own citizens to artificially boost the competitiveness of their export products. Such policies include regressive tax systems, low or unenforced penalties for environmental degradation, and policies intended to suppress worker wages relative to productivity.”
It also stated, “U.S. automakers face a variety of non-tariff barriers that impede access to the Japanese and Korean automotive markets, including non-acceptance of certain U.S. standards, duplicative testing and certification requirements, and transparency issues. Due to these non-reciprocal practices, the U.S. automotive industry loses out on an additional $13.5 billion in annual exports to Japan and access to a larger import market share in Korea—all while the U.S. trade deficit with Korea more than tripled from 2019 to 2024.”
The Trump administration levied a 24% tariff on Japan. It also levied a 34% tariff on China and Vietnam with a 46% tariff. Nintendo manufactured its Switch in China, but moved some of it to Vietnam back in 2019 as means of “diversifying risks.”
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According to The Japan Times Japanese trade minister Yoji Muto reacted to the tariff stating, “This requires a careful, yet bold and speedy approach. Therefore, I believe it is crucial that we make a calm and rational judgment on this matter.”
He went on to note that Japan is open to retaliating against the United States, “The prime minister has instructed us to consider all possible responses while weighing the interests of both Japan and the United States. This includes assessing whether retaliatory measures would be an appropriate course of action.”
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also indicated he was open to negotiating directly with President Donald Trump, “While Cabinet ministers and officials will carefully build upon our efforts, if it is deemed appropriate for me to directly engage with President Trump, I have no hesitation in doing so at the most suitable time and in the most appropriate manner.”
What do you make of Nintendo delaying pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2?
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