Nintendo Will be Hit with US Tariffs

Written by Dante Uzel on 15 April 2025 09:26

Game consoles imported from China, including Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2, are expected to remain subject to a steep 145% tariff, according to an internal assessment by a major supplier for both Apple and Nintendo. The revelation, first reported by Nikkei Asia, casts doubt on earlier reports suggesting that certain tech products might be spared from the latest round of U.S. trade penalties.

Over the weekend, speculation swirled that consumer tech products such as smartphones and PCs could avoid the tariff hike under revised classifications. However, U.S. President Donald Trump has now clarified that Chinese-made electronics will not be exempt but instead shifted to a different tariff category — one that still imposes significant duties on affected goods.

This includes not only game consoles such as the Switch 2 and Sony’s PlayStation 5, but also PC hardware from leading manufacturers like Apple, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.

As a result, key tech suppliers are accelerating efforts to relocate manufacturing outside of China, a trend that has intensified since the Trump administration returned to office. Despite this, the majority of Nintendo’s Switch 2 units are still being produced in China, leaving the company vulnerable to the impending tariffs.

The shifting trade landscape has already disrupted product rollout plans. In the U.S., pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 were originally scheduled to begin on April 9 but have now been pushed back to May 8 due to the uncertainty surrounding tariffs. However, the console’s official launch date of June 5 remains unchanged.

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Tags: Nintendo

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