Switch 2 US heads straight to $500?Price drama under the impact of tariffs

2025-04-06 20:56:32|Myriagame |source：minecraft skins

After the price of Switch 2 was announced, players generally believed that the price was too high and unacceptable.But something worse has come.Affected by Trump's tariffs, Nintendo has postponed the launch of Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States. Analysts say Nintendo does not rule out raising the price of Switch 2 in the United States.

IGN asked several industry insiders about this matter. Some analysts believe that Nintendo will have no choice but to raise prices, but some analysts pointed out that the pricing of Switch 2 is likely to have included tariffs in advance and will maintain a price of $450.

Price increase analyst:

Kantan Games CEO Serkan Toto

Serkan Toto initially thought it was too late to announce the price increase, but this delay in pre-order changed his mind.Currently, he believes Nintendo has "no choice".

"It's hard to predict, but Nintendo may take several days to simulate and then announce a price increase, not only the system itself, but also the games and accessories.I wish I was wrong, but if it continues, these high tariffs will leave them with no choice.Would you be surprised to see the Switch 2 base priced at $500? I won't.I would also like to add: Why didn't Nintendo wait for the United States to determine tariffs first and then decide on pricing at a face-to-face meeting in a few days? This makes no sense.”

Circana analyst Mat Piscatella

Mat Piscatella was very cautious in her opinion, reminding everyone that this is unprecedented and unpredictable.But ultimately, he also believes that game prices, including Nintendo's products, are likely to rise generally.However, no one can say exactly how much it will increase and which products it targets."Based on my communication with industry insiders, the scope and intensity of this tariff surprises everyone, not just consumers," he said.

Mat Piscatella told IGN that Nintendo may have some assumptions about tariffs when initially setting prices.But the actual tariffs announced on Wednesday may far exceed Nintendo or anyone's expectations.

"Any reasonable and responsible business that relies on international supply chains will now reassess their pricing in the U.S. market. They have to do so. Some regions and countries around the world have historically higher pricing for video games than elsewhere. Because of these tariffs, the United States is likely to join the ranks. The way the tariffs are announced seems cluttered, which obviously leaves a lot of people busy dealing with its impact."

Manu Rosier, Marketing Analysis Director, Newzoo

Manu Rosier predicts that the price of host hardware will rise, but gaming software may not be affected the same way.

"While physical games may be affected by tariffs, the dominance of digital and lower costs may limit this impact. For hardware, the situation is more sensitive. If a 20% tariff is imposed — or a substantial increase in tariffs — companies like Nintendo are unlikely to absorb additional costs by cutting profits. In this case, the burden may be shifted to consumers in the form of higher retail prices."

Original price analyst

Joost van Dreunen, professor at the Stern School of Business at NYU and author of SuperJoost Playlist

Joost van Dreunen acknowledged that a price increase for the Nintendo Switch 2 is possible, especially given the high tariffs facing Vietnam.But he believes Nintendo will do his best to avoid this.

"I think the volatility brought by Trump's tariffs has been included in the Switch $2,450 pricing. From the experience of the first Trump administration, Nintendo, like other manufacturers, has adjusted its supply chain structure to mitigate such geopolitical risks. Historically, Nintendo's release price was usually set at around $400, and after inflation adjustments, it suggests that the current price has reflected expectations of the economic challenges that could pose ongoing trade disputes."

"Nevertheless, the unpredictability of tariff decisions - taking Vietnam's recent situation as an example - has injected a lot of uncertainty into the market. This may force Nintendo to find ways to absorb or offset additional costs, especially when the initial profits of the product are usually thin. I expect Nintendo to work hard to maintain a price of $450, but if the trade environment worsens further, external economic pressures may eventually force them to reassess."

Ampere Analysis Game Researcher Piers Harding-Rolls

Piers Harding-Rolls agrees with this, believing that if Nintendo raises prices further, it may cause dissatisfaction among consumers.

"The extent of the tariffs and their impact on Vietnamese exports are really bad news for Nintendo. Nintendo is in a dilemma now as the starting price has been announced. I mentioned earlier that the price will remain the same until at least 2026, but if the tariffs continue, there may be adjustments.

The delay in bookings is to buy more time for companies, who hope to find some kind of solution in the coming weeks.After all, this is a rather dynamic situation.

Nintendo doesn't want to change the price, but now everything is under consideration.If prices really change, it will affect the brand and how American consumers think about the product when it is released.I don't think this will scare away loyal fans, but it may make a wider range of consumers take a wait-and-see attitude.This is especially important in its first holiday season."Comments point out that Switch 2 and other consoles - PS5, Xbox and even PC will also face big price increases:

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