Planning to get Nintendo Switch 2 from US? Expect delays and higher costs

Reportedly, the price of Nintendo Switch 2 might be positioned in the range of $550-$600 due to the surge in tariffs announced by the US government recently

US President Donald Trump’s recent tax war with the globe has resulted in the delay of the pre-orders of Nintendo Switch 2 in the country. Nintendo unveiled the next generation handheld gaming console, Switch 2, on April 2 and the pre-orders were set to go live in North America on April 9. However, due to these newly imposed tariffs, Nintendo has said that the pre-orders will be delayed in the US, without announcing the new date.

 

As per Nintendo's official statement, this delay is necessary for the company to be able to "assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

 

What is this global tax war?

 

US President Donald Trump has recently declared a national economic emergency. To tackle the said emergency effectively, Trump has announced a tariff hike of approximately 10 per cent across the globe, with rates going even higher for 60 countries deemed the “worst offenders.”

 

Trump has slapped India and Japan with a tariff of 26 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

 

 

How does this affect Nintendo?

 

Since Nintendo is a Japanese company, the production and the pricing of the device are set to be affected by this recent change. According to a Reuters report, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said that the government will continue to ask the US President to lower tariffs against Japan, but acknowledged results "won't come overnight."

 

To make matters worse, tariffs on Vietnam and Cambodia stand at 46 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively. This is crucial because after Trump’s first term, Nintendo started to shift away from China for manufacturing, and now Nintendo’s go-to manufacturing hubs are Vietnam and Cambodia only.

 

This means that the price of the Nintendo Switch 2, initially priced at $449, could increase.  ALSO READ | Nintendo Direct: Here are all new games coming to Switch, Switch 2 consoles

 

How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost in the US now?

 

According to a Times of India report citing The Verge, the new tariffs average around 40 per cent which means that the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 could be increased by another $180 which would make the effective price stand at $630.

 

The Times of India report, while reporting these figures, also noted that these are likely higher than the actual potential price increases. Tariffs are reportedly calculated on the basis of a product’s declared import value and not the retail price.

 

The declared import value of Switch 2 remains uncertain at the moment, but, as per the Financial Times, shipments from Vietnam listed it at $338. When a 40 per cent tariff is added to this, it will add around $112 more to the retail price, resulting in a potential final price of $585.