Nintendo’s sudden decision to delay preorders for its highly anticipated Switch 2 console has sparked concern among fans. Preorders were originally scheduled to go live on April 9 in the U.S., but have now been postponed due to the broad tariffs announced earlier this week by former President Donald Trump. The delay is especially frustrating for gamers who already felt the console was priced higher than expected.
Nintendo stated that the decision was made to “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions,” which has led to speculation about a possible price increase. Despite the delay in preorders, the company has confirmed that the Switch 2 will still launch on June 5 as planned. The console is currently priced at $450, with a $500 bundle that includes the latest Mario Kart game. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), GameStop acknowledged the delay, further adding to the uncertainty,
“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 emerged, many gamers were already taken aback by the Switch 2’s pricing especially when compared to the original Switch, which launched at $299. With current game prices already sitting between $69.99 and $79.99, the idea of an even higher price tag has triggered swift backlash. Some users have even started discussing the possibility of cross-border purchases from Canada as a way to sidestep potentially inflated U.S. costs.
While the Switch 2 is undeniably a luxury item, the situation highlights how newly implemented tariffs are poised to disrupt the economy raising the cost of goods and placing strain on international supply chains.
According to Shihoko Goto, a senior fellow at the Mansfield Foundation, this is a direct consequence of the tariffs and could signal widespread price hikes across multiple industries.
What Will Be Nintendo’s Move?
In 2019, Nintendo shifted part of its Switch production from China to Vietnam to mitigate tariff risks during the Trump administration. However, the current 46% tariff unfairly targets Vietnam, penalizing companies that complied with earlier calls to diversify production away from China. This approach overlooks the economic realities behind Vietnam’s trade surplus, which stems from its status as a developing country with limited capacity to import American-made products.
Trade analysts note that both Vietnam’s economy and American consumers benefit from its exports of affordable goods such as textiles, electronics, and footwear. However, the newly imposed tariffs will inevitably raise production and export costs for the U.S. market. As a result, companies like Nintendo are likely to pass these increased costs on to consumers.
This could lead to a significant hike in the price of non-essential consumer products especially in the electronics sector potentially putting the upcoming Switch 2 out of reach for many. The ongoing delay in Switch 2 preorders has only added to the uncertainty, leaving gamers unsure about both its final price and availability.
What’s your take on the Switch 2 preorder delay? Are you planning to grab one in the U.S.? Let us know in the comments!
