Last week, Nintendo Co. NTDOY announced that preorders for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will be delayed due to concerns over the potential impact of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, although the June 5 launch date remains unchanged.
What Happened: In an interview with NPR, Doug Bowser, President of Nintendo of America, explained the situation during a discussion on the delay.
“We’re just going to have to actively assess what that impact may be. Things may change in the days ahead. So we’re just watching and trying to understand what that impact might be and what actions we might have to take,” Bowser stated.
See Also: Nintendo Switch 2 Fails To Stir Excitement In Investors, Gaming Giant’s Shares Drop 5% In Tokyo
Although the Nintendo Switch 2 is priced at $449 for the base model and $499 for the hardware SKU with Mario Kart World included, Bowser admitted that there are still uncertainties about whether the new tariffs would force them to increase the final price of the device in the U.S. market.
The uncertainty arises from the additional tariffs imposed on Japanese exports, including a 24% tariff on goods, which could push up the cost of manufacturing and shipping to the U.S.
Nintendo also addressed the ongoing concerns regarding supply and demand. Bowser mentioned that the company has been working closely with retailers to ensure that the demand for the Switch 2 is met on launch day, with particular emphasis on preventing issues related to scalping bots.
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Why It Matters: The Switch 2 comes equipped with a 7.9-inch HDR-capable LCD display at 1080p resolution and supports gameplay at up to 120 frames per second. At launch, it offers 256GB of internal storage, and its updated dock enables 4K output when hooked up to a television.
Among the notable hardware upgrades are magnetically connected Joy-Cons, enhanced thumbsticks, and a revamped Pro Controller that now includes a dedicated C-button for in-game communication.
Nintendo is also introducing a new feature called GameShare, which lets players connect multiple Switch 2 systems for local or online shared gaming. Additionally, the battery life has been improved to roughly 8 hours—a welcome improvement over the original model.
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