You'll likely get your hands on a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch despite recent tariff concerns
Even with a pre-order delay, Nintendo’s clever planning and tariff reversals mean U.S. gamers might not miss out.
Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch 2 was on track for a major June 5 launch—until newly announced U.S. tariffs threw plans into uncertainty. Just as preorders were about to open, Nintendo delayed them in the U.S. It seemed like a major setback for gamers eagerly awaiting the June 5 launch date.
Anticipating trouble, Nintendo made a preemptive move. According to Bloomberg, the company shipped over one million Switch 2 units from Vietnam to the U.S. just before the 46% tariff on goods from Vietnam–where many of Nintendo’s manufacturing partners are based–was set to take effect.
This early stockpile was meant to help stabilize inventory and delay any immediate price hikes. Analysts had speculated that the tariffs might push the Switch 2’s price up by $50 to $100, which would place it well above the expected $450 retail price.
However, much-needed relief came on Wednesday when President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on all "reciprocal" tariffs, excluding those on China. As a result, all tariffs have been reduced to the base 10%.
Oluwaseun Bamisile
This means that Nintendo can absorb the additional cost and keep the price of the Switch 2 at $450, according to market analysts. Nintendo also gets ample time to ship more Switch 2 consoles to the U.S. during that 90-day window.
While it is good news that U.S. gamers might get the Switch 2 on launch, still, high demand and limited initial stock could trigger a PS5-style scramble, where consoles sell out fast and resellers swoop in. So, pre-ordering early might be the smart move.
And now, preorders are back on track. Nintendo has updated the FAQ page on its U.S. website, stating that the first batch of pre-order invitations for the My Nintendo Store will go out starting May 8, 2025–no details regarding retail pre-orders.
The company also mentioned sending out more invitation emails in batches periodically until everyone can shop on the My Nintendo Store. Meanwhile, the first batch of invitations will be on a first-come, first-serve basis to eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria.
To be eligible for the first batch of pre-order invitations, you must have bought any Nintendo Switch Online membership for a minimum of 12 months and opted in to share gameplay data and have at least 50 hours total gameplay hours.
To pre-order, visit Nintendo's pre-order page, sign in, register interest, and await a 72-hour valid payment invitation.
