The US government’s import tariffs weren’t considered by Nintendo when pricing its upcoming console, the Switch 2.
During an interview with CNBC, Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s president, was asked about the US government’s announcement of import tariffs, and how they came into play as the company decided the price of the Switch 2. In response, he said that Nintendo didn’t consider tariffs when determining the currently announced price of 449 US Dollars for the upcoming console’s standard SKU.
According to Bowser, Nintendo had decided that the price point of 449 US Dollars would be right for its consumers and the right value proposition for the device it has created. As of now, the console maker is still trying to understand the tariffs better, and also figure out what possible impacts may rise from them. He refrained from sharing any further details on the matter.
Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 have been delayed from April 9, 2025, in the US in order for the company to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. The console maker will provide an update on the new schedule for Switch 2 pre-orders at a later date. Though, the console’s launch date of June 5, 2025, remains unchanged.
Regarding the traditional console strategy of losing money on the hardware in order to gain money on the software, Bowser said that Nintendo is trying to find a way to maintain margins on the hardware, though he admitted that they are more slim than they are on software. According to him, the whole value proposition is that once users installs the hardware, Nintendo wants to keep them engaged and make sure they see value in their investment. The company wants to continue to ensure that it always has gameplay experiences to offer to consumers, allowing them remain engaged with the device over time.
