Wednesday was meant to be the scheduled day for something specific. gamers In the US, people would hurriedly grab their phones and computers to place an order beforehand. Switch 2 . Instead, Last week, Nintendo announced it would postpone pre-orders in the U.S. , though Pre-orders began in the UK. And from other nations as well. Now many people are contemplating whether the upcoming Switch successor might see an increase in price.
With the The release date for Switch 2 has been announced as June 5. , the initial starting price of $450 now appears futile. On the same day as the Switch 2 reveal , President Donald Trump declared extensive new tariffs. This would impact both Japan, where Nintendo is headquartered, and Vietnam, which manufactures the Switch 2. While tariffs were indeed implemented early Wednesday morning, President Trump seemed to reverse his position later that same day.
" I have initiated a 90-day HALT, along with a significantly reduced Reciprocal Tax at a rate of 10% for this duration, both taking effect right away," stated Trump. Truth Social .
It seems Nintendo could be out of trouble since the proposed tariffs on Vietnam were set at 46%, whereas those for Japan stood at 24%. Currently, they must deal with a uniform 10% tariff imposed across all nations. Nevertheless, this situation merely represents a temporary halt; it’s not certain thatNintendo won’t increase their prices. Should these duties reinstate after 90 days—on July 8—they might resort to hiking costs.
When it comes to how significantly the company might increase prices, that's a complex question.
What is the price of the Switch 2 following tariffs?
Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter thinks that when the Switch 2 launches on June 5, it will retain a price point of $450. Should the production halt occur and result in tariffs being imposed on goods manufactured in Vietnam and imported into Japan for sale abroad—such as with the Switch 2—Pachter anticipates that Nintendo of Japan would likely send units directly to Nintendo of America at just above their base manufacturing costs to minimize tariff expenses.
Pachter suggested that the cost could increase by approximately $75 to $100, potentially slightly higher. Consequently, this would place theSwitch 2’s price tag between $525 and $550 post-tariffs.
Piers Harding-Rolls, who leads Ampere Analysis as their research director, shared a comparable pricing forecast regarding the Switch 2 according to his views.
It’s quite a flexible scenario overall. After announcing the pricing, Nintendo won’t be eager to alter it, yet every option remains viable right now. A potential hike of anywhere from $50 to $100 for the basic model seems plausible as they try to balance out extra expenses," observed Harding-Rolls. "On the flip side, Nintendo could decide that the U.S. market holds significant importance for them and opt to absorb the increased costs, aiming to compensate through profits from digital game sales instead.
DFC Intelligence CEO David Cole offers a comparable viewpoint regarding the cost. He stated Forbes On Tuesday, he anticipates the price will go up, though not significantly, since he thinks the initial price of $450 already includes a margin to account for potential tariffs.
Cole informed Forbes that it’s improbable Nintendo will increase the price, and even if they did, he doesn’t anticipate it would go up by 20%. Such an increment would elevate the cost of the console post-tariffs to approximately $540.
The Switch 2 is already pricey.
On April 2, when Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2 during a presentation, the live stream concluded without disclosing the pricing details. As a result, those eager to learn more needed to check the website where they found out about the base model priced at $450 as well as an available bundle option. Mario Kart World for $500.
At launch, this price would position the Switch 2 as the priciest Nintendo console without considering inflation. Similar to Cole’s assumption, many thought the increased cost might have been due to potential tariffs; however, based on statements from Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser, that does not seem to be true.
Set aside the April 2 announcement. The previous tariffs were not included in the pricing," Bowser stated. The Verge the previous week following the unveiling.
Read more: Increasing Prices for Nintendo Switch 2 Games: Can Trump’s Tariffs Be Held Responsible?
In another interview with CBC Bowser justified the $450 price point, stating that it accurately reflected the machine's worth.
"There are individuals who might find it challenging to meet the pricing for the Switch 2,” he explained to CBC. “This is precisely why we decided to keep other versions of the Switch accessible; thus, everyone can join our gaming ecosystem, engage with these characters within various realms, and appreciate the worthiness regardless of which tier of the system they choose.”
It’s evident that Nintendo needs to develop an effective plan to address these tariffs when they release their upcoming console. The right pricing at launch could result in consistent sales for the company or cause significant financial strain that might take years to overcome.
Initially released on April 9, 2025 at 12:24 p.m. Pacific Time.