Gamers, grab your tissues and prepare for disappointment—Nintendo just hit the pause button on pre-orders for the highly anticipated Switch 2. And who do we have to thank for this setback? None other than former President Donald Trump, whose latest round of tariff shenanigans has thrown a wrench into Nintendo’s launch plans.
The gaming giant had everything ready to go: a shiny new console, a launch date, and a plan to start pre-orders next week on April 9th. But then, Trump decided to play real-life Mario Kart with international trade agreements, and now everything is sliding off the track.
Nintendo: “Yeah, We’re Gonna Wait This One Out”
In a statement that basically reads like a polite corporate version of “WTF, man?”, Nintendo announced:
“Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025, in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date.”
Translation: “We’re not about to let Trump’s tariff rollercoaster turn our shiny new console into the world’s most expensive Etch A Sketch.”
The good news? The June 5th launch date is still a go—assuming international trade relations don’t get thrown into an even bigger blender before then.
Trump’s Tariff Chaos: Now Featuring Extra Chaos
On April 2, Trump decided to go full send on tariffs, slapping higher-than-expected taxes on goods from China (34% + an already fun 20%), the European Union (20%), Japan (24%), Taiwan (32%), and Vietnam (a whopping 46%). Basically, if you’re importing anything that isn’t air, it’s about to get stupid expensive.
This isn’t just a Nintendo problem—Hollywood studios, streaming platforms, grocery stores, and even the car industry are bracing for impact. And let’s be real, if prices keep going up, we might all be trading in our Switches for rock-paper-scissors tournaments in the backyard.
These tariffs officially go into effect on April 9th, which means we’ll soon see how much chaos they really bring. Will the Switch 2 cost more than a PlayStation 5? Will gamers rise up in protest? Will Trump attempt to sell his own gaming console called the TRUMPSTATION 2025?
Stay tuned.
