On Friday, Japanese video game manufacturer Nintendo announced that it would not be allowing preorders for its new console the Switch 2 on that day as had been previously intended. The company said it was due to the announcements of tariffs on exports from Japan into the US.
Nintendo officials imparted in a statement that the purpose of the decision was "to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions." The release of the Switch 2 was still slated for June 5 in spite of the tariffs. Nintendo affirmed that the decision only applies to the US market, and existing pre-orders for UK customers would remain unaffected.
The console was unveiled to the public on Wednesday, merely hours before US president Donald Trump announced a wave of global tariffs.
While Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba characterized the situation as a "national crisis," the Trump administration defended the tariffs as a measure to improve the US economy and nurture job creation.
The decision was described as "unprecedented" by Wesley Yin-Poole of IGN.
Sources
- Tom Gerken. Nintendo pulls Switch 2 pre-orders in US over Trump tariffs — BBC, April 4, 2025
- Wesley Yin-Poole. Nintendo Delays Switch 2 Pre-Order Date in the U.S. to Assess Impact of Trump's Tariffs — IGN, April 4, 2025
Source & Attribution
Originally published by Wikinews on April 7, 2025. Original author: Wikinews.
CC BY 4.0. Photograph: The Switch 2 will have a similar console layout as the Nintendo Switch
Image: Evan-Amos. Photo: Evan-Amos Own work Source file. Public domain. Public domain.
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