Tariff Relief Saves Switch 2 Launch, But Nintendo Should Rethink Game Pricing

There is finally some good news about the Nintendo Switch 2, even though the launch was a mess that made many fans angry. It has to do with the ongoing tariff situation that has made people doubt the console's North American release. In a surprise move last week, Nintendo said they would be delaying pre-orders for people in the U.S. and Canada. Why?

They needed to reevaluate the current tariff landscape, which many saw as a sign that the $450 price tag for the Switch 2 might be going away. As you might expect, this caused a lot of worry in the gaming community, especially since trade talks are still dominated by uncertainty. But as of today, there's been a surprising (and, to be honest, much-needed) turn of events.

In a move that has already shaken up the tech industry, the U.S. President ordered a 90-day hold on some tariffs along with a much lower 10% reciprocal tariff that goes into effect right away. Tariffs on Chinese imports went up to a shocking 125%, so China didn't get any breaks. However, Vietnam, which is making the Switch 2, is one of the cooperating nations that was given 90 days to negotiate better terms.

This is great news for many tech companies that depend on cheap production overseas, not just Nintendo. The U.S. stock market reacted almost immediately and positively, going through the roof in the hope that this tariff relief would temporarily stop price increases.

For now, that's the important thing to remember. So far, this change hasn't made it impossible for Nintendo to keep the original $450 price tag. But the future is still very uncertain. So, even though you might want to take a deep breath and feel better, it's important not to get too comfortable just yet. As was already said, this is still a very fluid situation. We're still not out of the woods because the talks could change direction at any time.

That said, Nintendo might feel more confident after this economic break and announce a new pre-order date, maybe even tomorrow. There's no doubt that stores are waiting at the gates, ready to jump when Nintendo gives the signal. Meanwhile, it's important to know that Nintendo already has a lot of Switch 2 units in the United States.

In theory, they could start selling those units for $450 while keeping an eye on the ongoing talks about tariffs to figure out what to do next. The bigger story about the Switch 2 isn't just about tariffs, even with this positive update. It's about how badly and confusingly this whole launch has been managed.

From the start, releasing the Switch 2 has felt less like a big show and more like a business circus. Even though Nintendo can't completely change tariffs and global trade, they can fix the communication problems and send more consistent messages. That's where a lot of the anger comes from—not just the price of the console but also how the games are priced.

To be clear, $450 for the Switch 2 is not too much to ask when you consider the new hardware and the fact that it is a hybrid handheld. Early reports even say that it performs about the same as the Xbox Series S. If that's true, then that price is pretty reasonable. That won't keep anyone up at night. Fans are worried about how much the games cost, though. The attention-getter? Mario Kart World costs $80, which is a lot of money for a game that is only fun. Nintendo decided that the game was popular enough to justify the price. That's not a copy-and-paste. That's pretty much the real reason.

Things are getting worse. Even more people don't like how Nintendo is handling their "Switch 2 Edition" games. It's one thing to charge $80 for new games, even if it hurts. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a 2017 game that was originally made for the Wii U. Re-releasing it for $70 without the DLC is a whole new level of corporate arrogance. This is not a remaster with major changes or extra content. A game that came out almost ten years ago is being re-released with some improvements, and for some reason, it costs more now than it did when it first came out.

Nintendo fans who have been loyal to the company for a long time will feel the most pain about that. People in this group are ready to buy the console and their games as soon as they come out. Nintendo doesn't seem to want to reward its most loyal fans; instead, they seem more interested in getting as much money as possible from them.

That's not all. Reports say that the Switch 2 Tour is being sold for an extra $10. Many people thought that it would be a demo that came with the game or a small freebie to show off the new hardware. The nickel-and-dime method may not seem like much, but it adds up, especially when added to game prices that are too high and content that has already been released but doesn't have any new content.

It looks like Nintendo is betting that their fans will always pay what they want. To be honest? A lot of them most likely will. But there is a difference between being devoted and accepting everything without question. Fans are more than just money. These are the reasons why Nintendo is so well-known these days. Treating them like ATMs with no limits isn't a good long-term plan, especially in the competitive gaming market where Sony, Microsoft, and a lot of small developers are offering great experiences at prices that most people can afford.

Now, what do we do? To put it briefly, cautiously hopeful. It's a real win for Nintendo that tariffs are being lowered temporarily. The Switch 2 might be able to launch at its original price, at least for now. It looks like a new pre-order date is coming soon, and stores are probably getting ready for the news. But Nintendo still hasn't dealt with the deeper problems, like how much games cost, whether or not they should be re-released, and how tone-deaf their rollout strategy is.

People can only wait for now. Though I don't think the worst will happen, I don't think the best either. The situation is still very much open, and nobody, not even Nintendo, is sure what will happen next. For now, you might want to put off buying that $70 copy of Breath of the Wild. It might not be worth it unless it comes with a gold-plated Master Sword or a real Loftwing.