Nintendo has pushed back against suggestions that the price of its upcoming Switch 2 console was influenced by early US trade tariffs, but admits that it will have to address the impact of the latest round of levies.
The company unveiled the Switch 2 last week, sparking widespread criticism over its $450 USD retail price in the US. Many had speculated that the hefty tag might be a response to early tariffs imposed by the US government. However, Nintendo’s America boss Doug Bowser has said that the price was determined by the console’s new features and design.
The company is shifting away from manufacturing in China to Vietnam and Cambodia, which it claims allowed it to prepare for earlier tariffs. But Bowser has admitted that the latest round of levies on Vietnam and Cambodia pose a challenge and something that needs to be addressed.
Industry analysts predict that Nintendo will feel the impact of these tariffs if they go into full effect, and the ESA says that the tariffs will have a real and detrimental impact on the games industry. The company’s own preorders in the UK will go ahead as planned, but the US release is uncertain due to the potential price increase.
Source: https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-says-tariffs-werent-factored-into-switch-2-price-but-its-something-were-going-to-have-to-address