Trump’s Tariff Plans Postpone Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Order Launch

After years of waiting, Wednesday’s comprehensive Nintendo Direct finally revealed everything the Nintendo Switch 2 has to offer, including its new features, launch games, and release date. To top it all off, pre-orders were set to open next week on April 9 until Nintendo issued a new statement to news outlets this morning. Pre-orders are being temporarily postponed due to the United States’ recently announced tariffs, which will likely impact the console’s price.

Nintendo issued the following statement to Game Informer:

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.

On Wednesday evening, the White House announced its upcoming tariff plan, which would impose fees on goods imported from other countries. While the administration has been public about the incoming taxes, the exact rate has turned out to be much higher than anticipated, and in Nintendo’s case, it will likely cost them a lot of money. Two common countries where products are manufactured, China and Vietnam, will have tariffs of 54% and 46%, respectively, placed on their exports to the US. 

After the Direct, we learned the base system would cost $449 while the Mario Kart World bundle would be $499, a pair of price tags that staggered many potential buyers. Despite that, Nintendo’s delay implies it might raise the price even higher to offset the new tax. Regardless of whether the price will be adjusted, updates on the international trade situation are coming through every day, so Nintendo may also just be waiting for future developments.

The Nintendo Switch 2’s launch date of June 5 remains unchanged. For more details on the upcoming console, check out our hands-on impressions, learn about its technical specs, and read a complete recap of the Direct.

Source