Nintendo has announced a delay in the U.S. preorder date for its Switch 2 console, attributing the postponement to uncertainties regarding U.S. tariffs. Despite this delay, the company reassured that the console’s launch date of June 5 remains unchanged. In a statement to Gizmodo, Nintendo confirmed that preorders would not commence on April 9, 2025, as initially planned. The delay allows the company to assess the potential impact of tariffs and changing market conditions, with updated timing to be communicated later.
On April 2, during the official Switch 2 Direct presentation, Nintendo unveiled details about the console’s features, pricing, and launch plans, coinciding with an announcement of broad tariffs by President Donald Trump. These tariffs affected a broad range of countries, including Cambodia and Vietnam, where Nintendo reportedly manufactures hardware, as reported by The Financial Times. While some analysts speculate that tariff costs are factored into the Switch 2’s $450 price, Nintendo still faces challenges from Trump’s substantial import taxes, which impose a 46% tariff on Vietnam and a 49% tariff on Cambodia.
Nintendo has assured investors that measures are in place to produce enough Switch 2 units to meet demand and counter scalpers. However, the need to potentially adjust pricing due to increased shipping costs to the U.S. is now under consideration. There are claims from analysts that the company had shipped close to 400,000 units to the U.S. before the tariffs took effect, though preorder demand could surpass this number within the U.S. alone.
In 2017, Nintendo sold 13.4 million original Switch units worldwide, according to data from Omdia. The analytics firm has predicted sales of 14.7 million units for the Switch 2 in 2025, although these projections did not consider tariff impacts.
The situation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
