Gamers dying to get their hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 weren’t happy to hear the console will cost $449.99 in the US instead of the rumored $399.99 price tag that appeared in most leaks. This was before Trump announced new tariffs for every country and territory on Earth.
At the time, we wondered whether the Nintendo Switch 2 price already factored in the expected tariffs on China. This was in early April when China faced extra tariffs of only 34%. A week later, those tariffs went up to 145%. As speculation about price increases mounted, Nintendo decided to postpone the Switch 2 preorder date for the US and Canada. Again, this was before Trump hiked China-related tariffs to 145%.
Fast-forward to Friday and Trump announced a 90-day pause on the new tariffs for most countries — but not China. The administration may have also exempted some products from extra taxes on imports, including goods made in China. The list included smartphones, computers, and other products, but not consoles like the Switch 2.
By Sunday, we learned that those exemptions were only temporary. They’ll be valid for one or two months, with more clarifications to come this week. Some exceptions might be made, though it’s unclear what products might avoid extra fees at the border. Again, it’s unclear what happens to video game systems like the Switch 2, but a report from Asia says Nintendo will still face the 145% import fees.
According to Nikkei Asia, consoles made in China, including the Switch 2 will still face the 145% tariff that Trump announced last week in a seemingly neverending escalation with China.
The detail reportedly comes from an internal memo by a major Apple and Nintendo supplier that Nikkei has seen. The news is hardly surprising, considering consoles were not explicitly mentioned in the list of product exemptions last week. One could argue that gaming sets like the Switch 2 are computers, but that would be a stretch.
Nintendo can always ship Switch 2 units from Vietnam, a market that inked a new deal with the US after being threatened with a large tariff of its own. But most Switch 2 production happens in China.
Reports also said that Nintendo might have already imported plenty of Switch 2 consoles to the US before the new tariffs deadline, but it’s unlikely that stock will meet initial demand.
Also, Nintendo is yet to announce new prices for the Switch 2. That’s probably because the Trump administration isn’t done announcing tariff policies. They’ve said so themselves over the weekend when making it clear that iPhones and other devices might not be exempt for longer than two months.
The Japanese gaming giant might make Switch 2 launch announcements for the US and Canadian markets once this new phase of the trade war between the US and China ends. There’s no sign that China will cave as quickly as Trump might have hoped, so we’re bound to see more moves from both countries in the coming days and weeks.
The Switch 2 has an early June release date, which gives Nintendo plenty of time to figure out what tariffs it needs to pay and whether it has to charge US gamers extra for the new handheld and Switch 2 exclusive games.
A back-of-the-napkin exercise told us a few days ago the Switch 2 might cost between $585 and $670 before tax in the US, assuming an average tariff of 40% that wasn’t already priced in. This was several days before Trump pushed China tariffs to 145%. If the Switch 2 doesn’t get exemptions, and if the 145% tariff for China stays in place, the console’s price might be even higher than that.
Nintendo isn’t the only console maker having to reasses their financials. Sony just announced price hikes for the PS5 in various markets, including the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, citing a “challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.” PS5 [rice hikes for the US market wouldn’t be surprising.
