Nintendo considering Switch 2 post-launch price rise if tariff situation worsens
Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa has said the company will consider raising the cost of Switch 2 after the console launches, should tariffs change “significantly”.
Speaking to investors, Furukawa said that, for now, Nintendo wanted to focus on launching its new console and ensuring its success in the short-term. But beyond that, he continued, the picture was less certain.
“At this time, the top priority is to quickly popularise the Switch 2 hardware,” Furukawa said, as reported by Yahoo News (translated by Genki).
“If the assumptions regarding tariffs change significantly, we would like to consider what price adjustments we should make and implement them after considering various factors,” Furukawa continued.
Nintendo has attempted to mitigate the impact of US tariffs on the Switch 2’s launch to date by raising the cost of additional accessories rather than the price of the console itself.
The company has also prioritised Switch 2 stock manufactured in Vietnam rather than China for shipments to the US, in order to take advantage of the better tariff rates (to date).
But the situation is still very much in flux, and US president Trump’s 90-day pause on tariffs with most countries (including Vietnam) is currently set to run out in July.
One report, by the Consumer Technology Association, has suggested that console prices could leap by 69.4 percent (thanks, Tom’s Hardware).
The past weeks have seen both Sony and Microsoft increase the price of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S respectively.
Sony blamed the “tough decision” on “the backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates”. Microsoft, meanwhile, blamed “market conditions” and rising development costs.
Earlier today, Nintendo revealed it expects Switch 2 will outsell its predecessor at launch, with 15m sales during the current financial year. And with demand already exceeding sky-high expectations, it’s easy to see why Nintendo might feel more able to increase Switch 2’s price regardless.
