When the White House paused tariffs for most countries (but China) this week, an opportunity appeared for Nintendo. The game console maker recently suspended preorders for the US out of an apparent concern about the country’s tariffs. Those tariffs affected the countries that produce Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 video game console, which is already priced at $449.99. Now, with Vietnam’s tariffs on hold except for the original 10%, Nintendo may be able to direct a good number of Switch 2 consoles to the US market without running afoul of the Trump administration.
As Polygon points out, Nintendo may be able to ship Switch 2 consoles to the US from facilities in Vietnam. The existing pause, assuming that the White House doesn’t cut it short, should last for 90 days, potentially giving Nintendo time to maneuver. At the end of the tariff pause, however, Nintendo could be facing a crushing 46% tariff—and that’s just on the Switch 2s coming from Vietnam, which isn’t the only country manufacturing the console.
Credit: Nintendo
China, which currently has a 145% tariff placed on its imports to the US, is also responsible for some Switch production, though it seems likely that Nintendo would send products from China to other countries than the US. GameSpot recently noted that Nintendo may be taking a loss on its consoles this go-round, which would make the tariffs much harder to absorb.
Nintendo suspended preorders for the US but said from the outset that it plans to have the Switch 2 available for sale on June 5. With Nintendo likely stockpiling the consoles, there’s a good chance Nintendo won’t have to face the raise-prices/ take-the-hit choices tariffs can present.
It’s worth noting that although Nintendo paused retail preorders, the company still offers a way for some gamers to get a preorder in from the US on its website. You’ll need to jump through some hoops, but the process may help prevent scalpers, which would make it worth the effort.
First off, you’ll need to meet the requirements: Nintendo is looking for gamers who have paid for 12 months of membership to its Nintendo Switch Online service. You’ll also need to have at least 50 hours of gameplay under your belt—since April 2. In other words, if you haven’t been a Nintendo gamer before now, you’re probably better off waiting for the consoles to go on sale at retailers.
At any rate, once you complete the form and prove that you qualify, you’ll need to wait for an invitation to buy the Nintendo Switch 2. If that sounds worth the hassle, you may be the kind of customer Nintendo is looking for.