Nintendo has postponed preorders for its highly anticipated Switch 2 console in the United States, citing uncertainty surrounding newly imposed tariffs by Donald Trump, which are already disrupting global electronics markets and consumer supply chains.
The Japanese gaming giant announced the delay just days after formally unveiling the Switch 2, a next-generation handheld and home console hybrid that is scheduled to launch globally on June 5. The company issued a statement to explain the change:
“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.”
The announcement has rattled Nintendo’s North American fan base, who had eagerly awaited the console’s next evolution since its public reveal on April 2 — the same day the destabilizing tariffs were released.
But broader concerns loom over the economic backdrop: Trump’s aggressive new trade measures are threatening the stability of electronics markets that rely heavily on parts and assembly in Asia — particularly Vietnam, where Nintendo shifted much of its production during Trump’s first term to avoid tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump’s latest actions target a wide swath of trading partners, with tariffs on goods from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam ranging from 46 to 49 percent. China, in turn, has announced 34 percent retaliatory tariffs on all American imports, effective April 10. The combined shock to transpacific commerce is already cascading into consumer markets, with the video game industry among the first to feel the jolt.
FAN FRUSTRATION AND ECONOMIC ALARM
Nintendo Switch 2’s price tag of $449.99 had already prompted criticism from longtime fans. They were hoping for a more accessible upgrade from the original Switch, which launched at $299 in 2017. Now, with the possibility of price hikes driven by tariff-related cost increases, players are voicing anger and uncertainty across forums, social media, and Discord channels.
“Some folks are talking about going across the border to Canada to buy it instead,” said one user in a popular Nintendo Switch subreddit, where posts discussing cross-border console strategies began trending by April 4.
In economic terms, the Switch 2 may seem like a luxury. But its postponement is an early signal of broader economic damage. The console’s delay is emblematic of what critics are calling Trump’s “mafia-style economic extortion,” which one international economist recently described as “a form of global economic terrorism.” Such language that, while politically charged, reflects growing alarm from industry observers.
Joost van Dreunen, a games industry researcher and author of “One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games,” said these tariffs are hitting at a particularly fragile time in the console market.
“At the beginning of a new hardware cycle, all of a sudden we’re looking at this price hike,” said van Dreunen. “I had originally predicted that the Switch 2 would be $400. Now it’s announced that it’s $450. That $50 difference is a Trump tax.”
Van Dreunen explained that video game consoles are typically sold at or below cost in their early life cycles, with manufacturers accepting low or negative margins to build user bases. The additional burden of tariffs, he said, may now be passed directly to consumers.
A NEW ERA OF INNOVATION DELAYED
The Switch 2 had been expected to redefine social and portable gaming. The console includes a larger 7.9-inch LCD screen, and a new GameShare feature that allows users to temporarily lend digital games to friends. The Joy-Con controllers now feature mouse-like controls, a nod to PC gaming habits and versatility.
Developers at Nintendo emphasized that the Switch 2 is a leap forward in design, connectivity, and gameplay. But they also confirmed that development was slowed by chip shortages, lingering pandemic effects, and international logistics challenges.
“Yes, for example, COVID certainly had a large impact in the development,” Tetsuya Sasaki, the console’s technical director, said through a translator. “Even with the chip shortage we were working with our partners and had to be creative in working our way through that. … And yeah even the Nintendo Switch was hard to get at one point.”
Nintendo has not directly addressed whether the U.S. preorder delay could ripple into supply constraints or further pricing instability. The company also declined to confirm whether the base model’s $449 price will increase to account for tariff costs — a possibility some economists say is all but inevitable if current trade measures remain in effect.
Yet while the company is publicly cautious, some analysts have warned that Nintendo’s carefully planned launch is now in jeopardy due to trade volatility created by Trump’s tariffs.
PUNISHING THE RULE-FOLLOWERS
Ironically, Nintendo’s efforts to comply with the Trump administration’s previous tariff structure may have left it more exposed this time around. In 2019, the company began shifting Switch manufacturing from China to Vietnam — a move that aligned with Trump’s pressure campaign to reduce American dependence on Chinese factories.
But in this new round of trade penalties, Vietnam has become one of the hardest-hit nations. Tariffs on Vietnamese goods now reach 46 percent, calling into question whether American companies can rely on any regional stability for electronics manufacturing. The administration has offered no consistent rationale for the targeting, with critics noting that many of the tariffed countries are key U.S. trading partners — and longtime allies.
“They’re punishing the very companies that did what Trump asked them to do five years ago,” said one industry insider, who asked not to be named to avoid retaliation from U.S. trade officials.
GLOBAL DAMAGE, LOCAL PAIN
For U.S. consumers, the fallout from the Switch 2 delay goes well beyond video games. Electronics retailers are bracing for a wave of price increases across a range of devices — from gaming consoles and laptops to household appliances and smartphones. Many of these items depend on components or assembly processes based in Southeast Asia, where the brunt of Trump’s latest tariffs is being felt most acutely.
Retailers are now navigating uncertainty. Best Buy, Walmart, and Target all declined to comment when asked whether they expect to adjust pricing or preorder policies for the Switch 2. One regional electronics buyer in Illinois, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said their warehouse was already anticipating a shortage of Switch 2 units and was holding off on promotional planning.
“It’s hard to build a campaign when we don’t know if we’ll even get enough units,” the buyer said. “And if we do, will they cost more? Will customers be furious if we advertise $449 and it ends up $499?”
Nintendo’s U.S. leadership has remained quiet since the preorder announcement. Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, told journalists at a prelaunch event that the Switch 2 represents a “new era of Nintendo,” but has not publicly addressed the trade tensions since.
A LOYAL FANBASE MEETS ECONOMIC REALITY
Nintendo has one of the most passionate fan communities in gaming, with over 46 million Switch consoles sold in the U.S. alone as of late 2024. That enthusiasm, however, is now colliding with the broader anxiety felt by consumers facing increased costs not only on entertainment, but on food, fuel, clothing, and other essentials.
In a fan Discord server dedicated to Switch games, discussion about Mario Kart World, the high-octane new title bundled with the Switch 2, was eclipsed by messages about tariffs, price speculation, and border buying. Several users posted links to Canadian retailers and currency conversion tools.
The irony, one fan noted, is that even those trying to escape U.S. price hikes by purchasing abroad may still feel the effects. With international demand likely to surge if U.S. supply remains unstable, other countries could also see limited availability.
For Nintendo, the Switch 2 is the culmination of years of development and strategic planning. The console adds key features like 4K resolution in docked mode, a more powerful processor, and integrated social tools — including video GameChat windows, screen-sharing, and interactive camera projection in select games.
Yet no amount of hardware innovation can shield it from the external shocks of geopolitics.
“This isn’t just about Nintendo. This is about an economic war that’s starting to hit ordinary consumers — over something as simple as buying a game console,” said van Dreunen, the games industry analyst. “And we’re only beginning to see the ripple effects.”
A WARNING FOR THE TECH INDUSTRY
The Switch 2 situation is shaping up to be an early case study in how political disruption can undermine global product launches. Other hardware makers — including Microsoft, Sony, Apple, and Lenovo — are watching closely. Many are evaluating how to shift production, diversify supply chains, or reprice products to absorb future trade shocks.
But the timeline for those decisions is shrinking. China’s retaliatory tariffs are set to begin April 10. If the U.S. administration does not scale back its measures or offer flexibility to affected sectors, analysts say a wave of product delays and pricing adjustments may be unavoidable.
Tech firms are also grappling with messaging challenges. Publicly criticizing the administration’s policy could expose them to political retaliation or regulatory pressure. But silence carries its own risks — especially if consumers interpret higher prices as corporate greed rather than economic coercion.
For Nintendo, the stakes are high. A successful Switch 2 launch could solidify its hold on the hybrid console market and drive software revenue for years. A bungled launch, by contrast, could alienate loyal users and give rivals an opening.
The company has said it will host “Switch 2 Experience” events in cities including Los Angeles, New York, London, and Paris throughout April, allowing fans to try the new console ahead of its release. But without a firm preorder window, the U.S. rollout may already be losing momentum.
AN UNSTABLE PATH FORWARD
Critics warn that if Trump’s trade measures continue to expand unpredictably, other industries will quickly face similar disruptions — from auto manufacturing and apparel to agriculture and medical equipment. The Biden administration in 2022 had unwound most of the original Trump tariffs. Their rapid reimplementation in early 2025 has caught many sectors off guard. The White House has not given any roadmap for the duration of the tariffs, or where policy decisions would go next.
As June 5 approaches, video game players still hope to get their hands on the Switch 2. But it is no longer just a console. It has now become a symbol of how global trade politics, driven by erratic, punitive policies, can reach into the daily lives of consumers, reshaping what products they can buy, when, and at what cost.
And it has only just begun.
MI Staff, with Ryan Kryska
Ted Shaffrey (AP), Koji Sasahara (AP), and Richard Drew
