Nintendo delays Switch 2 pre-orders in the US due to tariffs
U.S. tariffs on the rest of the world have come home to roost. Nintendo has officially announced delays for its April 9th pre-orders as they re-evaluate.
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Today, Nintendo announced delays in the US for Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders due to tariffs. Originally, the new console was expected to be available for pre-order on April 9th in the US, which was only a few days away. Nintendo has not shared any details about when pre-orders will become available for US buyers but has assured fans that the June 5th release date has not changed. Fans have already been Mario Kart World, but they might end up having to pay more for the console too.
Nintendo delays pre-orders in the U.S. due to tariffs
Previously, interested fans in the US and Canada were able to “ their interest” on here’s our guide. GameStop shared a post on social media about the news, saying they “will continue to work closely with Nintendo to provide updates as soon as more information becomes available.”
In a statement shared with The Verge, Nintendo said the following: “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.” While the price did not make an appearance during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct on Wednesday, it was shared in press releases from Nintendo shortly afterwards. According to that information, the Switch 2 would sell for $449.99, with an optional bundle with Mario Kart World at $499.99. It’s not clear if these prices will remain consistent after Nintendo re-evaluates.
Notably, when I checked Nintendo’s How To Buy section of their site, the interest I ed on Wednesday appears to still be ed, and the price seems to be unchanged according to that page. It could be that this delay is only affecting April 9th pre-orders through third-party retailers in the US, such as GameStop and Best Buy, though that is not confirmed. Since the pre-orders directly through Nintendo were originally expected to become available in May, Nintendo could just be waiting to announce further details on that pre-order method.
The U.S. government announced its controversial tariffs just hours after the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Previously, Nintendo was thought to be relatively unaffected as they had moved production to Vietnam in recent years, which until now had remained untouched by the U.S.’s tariffs. Currently, the U.S. has levied tariffs of 46% on Vietnam. Though, in the hour, the Wall Street Journal has reported that U.S. President Donald Trump says he has spoken with To Lam, a leader in Vietnam, who “wants to cut Vietnam’s tariffs down ‘to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the U.S.’” Reportedly, companies that produce goods in Vietnam have already seen their stocks rise with news of this call.
For now, we will have to wait to hear more from Nintendo on their decision going forward. Unless the tariffs are removed, chances are that this will mean a price increase for U.S. buyers. This will likely only enrage the U.S. fan base even further, who already flooded Nintendo’s live streams with outcries of “Drop the price” for hours on end during yesterday and today’s Treehouse gameplay live streams.
