Why US gamers may have to pay more than Nintendo Switch 2 launch price

TOI Tech Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 3, 2025, 21:45 IST

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Nintendo officially announced the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, priced at $449.99. However, new US tariffs on imports from Vietnam and Cambodia could raise the console's price by up to 49%, potentially reaching $670. Factors like pre-emptive stockpiling and pre-calculated costs may mitigate the price hike, but uncertainties remain.

Why US gamers may have to pay more than Nintendo Switch 2 launch price

Nintendo Switch 2 is now official and the Japanese video game company said that it will become available on June 5, priced at $449.99. This announcement comes amidst US President Donald Trump's introduction of tariffs on various countries, which could lead to a subsequent increase in the console's retail price.

How Trump’s new tariffs may affect Nintendo Switch 2 console price

As per a report by The Financial Times, over half of Nintendo's US hardware is now produced in Vietnam and Cambodia, both of which are subject to the new tariffs, with increases of 46% and 49%, respectively. This means that anything imported from these countries will be taxed accordingly.
Folks at The Verge did the math and claimed that when applied a rough calculation, if the new tariffs average around 40%, the Switch 2's price could rise by approximately $180, bringing the potential final cost to $630. Similarly, using the highest tariff rate of 49% from Cambodia, the console's price could reach $670.

However, these figures are likely higher than the actual potential price increases. Tariffs are typically calculated based on a product's declared import value, not its retail price. The Switch 2's declared import value is uncertain, but the Financial Times reported shipments from Vietnam listed it at $338. Applying the 40 percent tariff to this value and then adding the $112 difference to the retail price results in a potential final price of $585.

Three factors that may mitigate the price hike

Firstly, Nintendo may have already factored in potential tariff costs when setting the Switch 2's initial price of $449.99, which is 50% higher than the original Switch's launch price, as per The Verge.
Secondly, Nintendo appears to have anticipated the tariffs by stockpiling hardware in the US (via The Financial Times) in advance, including 383,000 units in January alone. While this is a significant quantity, it may not be sufficient to meet demand during the holiday season.
Lastly, the actual implementation of the tariffs remains uncertain. The scheduled implementation includes a 10% global tariff on April 5 and the higher country-specific rates on April 9. However, the Trump administration may reconsider the tariffs and the price hike impact may be minimised.

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TOI Tech Desk

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