Why Tariffs Could Make Your Nintendo Switch Way More Expensive
After eight years of production and discussions, Nintendo revealed the price and release date for its Switch 2 on April 2. However, that same day, tariffs sent the stock market into a state of volatility.
On April 4, per The New York Times, Nintendo decided to delay pre-orders for the Switch in light of the tariffs. Although the company acknowledged that prices may increase from $450, it remains uncertain how the administration's recent pause on tariffs will affect the price of the Switch 2.
It's worth noting that those in the UK are fully able to pre-order the console, but people in US will need to wait indefinitely.
A statement from Nintendo, per Engadget, read, "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."
In the words of Engadget, "The starting price was to be $450, but that could change now in response to the proposed tariffs. Participating retailers will also be selling the Switch 2 when it eventually makes its way to the U.S. We expect those to include Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and others."
The delay on pre-ordering has sparked outrage from gamers across the United States. Jake Steinberg, a gamer and writer from Philadelphia, told The New York Times, "There’s an extreme amount of irony, because people always said this refrain, ‘Keep politics out of games.'... Well, here they are.”
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