Nintendo Delays Pre-Orders Of Switch 2 Amid Tariff Uncertainty, But June Launch Date Unchanged

Nintendo is delaying the long-awaited pre-order date for its new Switch 2 video game device, citing uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The original pre-sale date was next Wednesday. As of now, the June 5 launch date for the Switch 2 remains on track.

“Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. wil not start April 9, 2025, in orfer tyo assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions,” the company said in a statement. “The launch date of Juen 5, 2025 is unchanged.”

Trump unveiled the tariffs Wednesday in a meandering White House Rose Garden news conference. Futures markets began sinking as he was talking. A baseline 10% reciprocal tariff was put in place on all trading partners, with varying country-specific rates. China, India, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam are slated to be hit with tariffs of 34%, 26%, 32%, 36%, and 46%, respectively. The European Union also faces a 20% tariff. The measures will take effect in stages over the next week.

In the wake of Wednesday’s announcement, the U.S. stock market has had two consecutive days of extreme decline, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 on track for their worst week since the Covid panic of 2020. Trading on Friday has seen the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunge 1,600 points, and the other major indices have followed suit as most media and tech shares continued to slump.

At $449.99, the Switch 2 is significantly pricier than its $299 predecessor. Games for the portable unit are also pricey for the marketplace, costing $70 to $80 each. It is unclear at this point whether pricing will change to reflect the tariffs.

Japan-based Nintendo only hours before Trump spoke at the White House had officially introduced the Switch 2, a long-awaited follow-up to the original device, which debuted in 2017.