In April 2025, concern about newly announced U.S. tariffs coincided with steep one-day declines in several Japanese gaming stocks. Nintendo also postponed the planned April 9 start of U.S. Switch 2 pre-orders while it assessed the potential tariff impact. It did not postpone the console’s June 5 launch.
What Nintendo postponed—and what it did not
Nintendo had announced a June 5, 2025 release for the Switch 2 and a U.S. price of about $449. On April 4, the company said U.S. pre-orders would not begin as scheduled on April 9, citing the need to assess the potential impact of tariffs and changing market conditions. Nintendo said the launch date would remain June 5. Axios reported the announcement.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 System | $499.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 System with Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 Bundle | $568.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle with Bonus HDMI Cable & Screen Cleaning Cloth | $619.00 | Buy on Amazon |
So the headline shorthand “Switch 2 delayed” can mislead: Nintendo delayed U.S. pre-orders, not the console’s launch. The distinction mattered to consumers because the announcement raised uncertainty about when they could place an order and whether tariffs might affect U.S. pricing.
How Japanese gaming stocks moved on April 7, 2025
A Japanese industry report published April 8 recorded broad declines in gaming and software shares during the previous session. It reported Nintendo closing at ¥9,194, down 7.85% from the prior session, after its shares fell below ¥9,000 intraday. The same report listed these closing declines:
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- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
| Company | Reported change on April 7, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Nintendo | Down 7.85%; closed at ¥9,194 |
| Sony Group | Down 10.04% |
| Bandai Namco Holdings | Down 7.37% |
| GungHo Online Entertainment | Down 7.15% |
| Capcom | Down 6.61% |
| Square Enix Holdings | Down 5.62% |
| Koei Tecmo Holdings | Down 5.41% |
These are historical figures attributed to GameBusiness.jp’s April 8 report, not current share prices. The figures are secondary reporting; they were not independently checked against exchange records here.
Why tariffs were part of the market reaction
Investors were confronting the prospect of escalating U.S. tariffs and possible retaliation. The GameBusiness.jp report described tariff concerns as context for the broad declines and said Nintendo’s pre-order announcement added to concern that prices could rise. That is a contemporaneous interpretation of market events, not proof that tariffs alone caused each company’s share move.
The supply-chain concern was especially visible in Nintendo’s case. Axios reported that more than half of Nintendo hardware imported into the United States came from Vietnam and Cambodia, citing the Financial Times, analysts and import data. Axios described the April 2025 announced tariff rates for those countries as 46% for Vietnam and 49% for Cambodia. Those were period-specific announced rates, not a verified statement of the tariff schedule currently in force.
Rank #2
- The next evolution of the Nintendo Switch system
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Supports up to 4K resolution** when using a compatible game and TV connected via the included Nintendo Switch 2 dock
- Nintendo Switch 2 plays compatible physical and digital Nintendo Switch games.***
GameBusiness.jp also cited analyst Daniel Ahmad saying Nintendo had shifted some production from China to Vietnam, where the newly announced tariff threat could still affect prices. The broader lesson is that changing a product’s manufacturing location does not necessarily insulate it from trade measures if production is concentrated in other countries subject to tariffs.
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What happened after the announcement
The Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025, as planned. In a June 11 report, the Associated Press said Nintendo reported selling more than 3.5 million consoles in the first four days. AP gave the launch-period baseline price as $449.99. Those are launch-period facts, not a current sales total or price quote. Read the AP report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this episode means for investors and consumers
The April sell-off shows how quickly policy uncertainty can affect investor expectations for companies with global supply chains and substantial exposure to the U.S. market. For gaming hardware makers, potential tariff costs can raise questions about pricing, sourcing and demand before the final effect on a particular product is known.
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- 【Ultimate Nintendo Switch 2 Bundle – Ready to Play】Includes the complete Nintendo Switch 2 console and a full-game download of Mario Kart World, so you can start racing right out of the box. Perfect for gamers of all ages and playstyles.
- 【Next-Gen Hybrid Gaming with Stunning Visuals】Experience a vivid 7.9‑inch 1080p LCD touchscreen with HDR support, and enjoy 4K TV output at up to 60 fps when docked — for immersive gameplay at home or on the go.
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- 【Enhanced Social Gaming with GameChat & Multiplayer】Connect with friends locally, enjoy online multiplayer with up to 24 players, and use voice chat via GameChat (internet connection and Nintendo Switch Online membership required after trial period).
- 【Powerful Storage & Joy‑Con 2 Controllers】Includes 256 GB internal storage (expandable with microSD), magnetic Joy‑Con 2 controllers, docking station, HDMI cable, AC adapter, grip, and straps — everything you need for the ultimate gaming setup.
For consumers, a postponed pre-order window was a sign of uncertainty—not confirmation that the launch would slip or that the eventual price would increase. For investors, the reported share declines show the market’s reaction in one session, but they do not measure tariff-caused losses or establish tariffs as the sole cause of the declines.
The April 2025 rates and sourcing details cited in contemporaneous coverage should not be used to infer current tariff rules. Trade measures can change, and these reports do not establish the rates in force on October 8, 2026.
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