Nintendo Delays Switch 2 Preorders Due To Tariff Angst And Cost Impact
Wouldn't you know it, just days after Nintendo revealed more details about its Switch 2 console and hot on the heels of us posting a preorder guide to give you a leg up over scalpers and bots, Nintendo and its retail partners are putting the word out that the preorder date in the United States has been delayed indefinitely. The reason? Uncertainty over the fallout of tariffs.
Nintendo detailed the Switch 2 during a special Direct event this past Wednesday. As part of the reveal, Nintendo announced the Switch 2 release to retail on June 5, 2025, with preorders opening on April 9. As it still stands, the Switch 2 carries a $449 MSRP, and there's also a Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle that will be offered for $499. However, it's now unclear if those price points will remain the same.
Best Buy is sending out emails alerting customers that it will not be taking Switch 2 preorders on April 9, 2025
What happened is this—hours after the Switch 2 event had concluded, President Donald Trump announced a new set of sweeping reciprocal tariffs. You can view a handy chart at CNBC showing which countries are affected and how much each one is being hit, but the amount ranges from 11% (Democratic Republic of the Congo) all the way up to 50% (Lesotho and Saint Pierre and Miquelon).
"Preorders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the US 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," Nintendo said in a statement.
There's quite a bit to digest in what seems like a simple announcement. For one, we can't think of another time when a major launch event saw preorders pushed back because of looming tariffs. These are truly some wild times, folks.
Secondly, the big question now is not so much when preorders will open—though that's certainly of high interest—but whether or not Nintendo will raise the price its hotly anticipated Switch 2 console.
For all that Nintendo revealed about the Switch 2, it hasn't confirmed where it is being manufactured. Reportedly, Nintendo tapped both Vietnam and China to produce its Switch 1 consoles. If you refer back to the tariffs chart, you'll see that Vietnam is high on the list with a massive 46% tariff imposed. Meanwhile, Trump announced an extra levy of 34% on goods imported from China (for which China retaliated with a 34% tariff of its own). Game over, right?
Well, not so fast. For one, we don't know for sure if the Switch 2 is being manufactured in Vietnam (multiple reports seem to suggest that's the case), or where it will actually import from into the United States. Secondly, Trump said he spoke with Vietnam leader To Lam, who indicated he wants to bring Vietnam's tariffs down "to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the US," according to The Wall Street Journal.
All we know for sure is that Switch 2 preorders in the US will take place sometime after April 9. Nobody knows exactly when, including Nintendo, which is probably waiting until the dust settles before it announces a new preorder date. Only then will we also find out if there are any price changes.
