Nintendo delays pre-orders for new Switch 2 gaming console amid Trump tariffs

4 April 2025, 19:03

Japanese gaming company Nintendo has warned US customers that pre-orders of its new console, the Switch 2, are set to be affected by Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Tech giant Nintendo announced the release date of its brand-new gaming console, the Switch 2, earlier this week and gamers are desperate to get their orders in before its June 5 release date.

But Nintendo has warned gamers in the US will be forced to wait for their pre-orders, with the tech giant citing "the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

Donald Trump announced Japan would be facing 24% tariffs during his “Liberation Day” speech on Wednesday, where he slapped levies on most countries across the globe.

Read more: 'You've played it wrong!': Trump hits back at China's tariffs as global stock markets plummet for second day

“The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”

It comes as the US and UK stock markets plummeted sharply for the second day in a row on Friday, with the S&P 500 falling 3.2% as trading began, while the FTSE 100 suffered its worst day in five years, closing down 4.9%.

It follows Thursday’s massive decline, which marked the worst day on Wall Street since the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.

Apple, one of the largest companies on the US Stock Exchange, fell by nearly 4%, while Tesla, owned by Trump ally Elon Musk, plunged 3%.

Nintendo’s stocks, meanwhile, are down just over 1%.

Stock markets in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Australia also fell for a second day, with the Nikkei 225 nearly at its lowest level in eight months.

London's FTSE 100 index of companies declined by a further 4.9% on Friday, its worst day since 2020.

Trump remained bullish as global markets crashed, adding: “IT’S ALREADY WORKING. HANG TOUGH, WE CAN’T LOSE!!!”

A statement from Nintendo read: “Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the US 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.

He also claimed the UK is happy with the tariffs he imposed on Wednesday's “Liberation Day.”

The first Nintendo Switch console launched in March 2017 and has been a huge success for the company, with more than 155m Switch consoles sold - with the games machine now closing in on the sales record of Sony’s PlayStation 2 - the bestselling console of all time.

The Switch first caught people’s attention with its unique hybrid nature - enabling you to play at home on the TV, and then pause the action and continue your game on the move.

Over the eight years since launch, the Nintendo Switch cemented its reputation with an incredible catalogue of games which focused on using the console’s innovative features, which it had in spades over its more powerful rivals from Sony and Microsoft.

The console will launch worldwide on June 5th and will launch in the UK at £395.99 for the console, or £429.99 with a downloadable version of Mario Kart World.

In the USA, the console with Mario Kart World costs $499 - when converted, around a £45 saving on the UK price.