Since the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled in early April 2025, news around the console – and the global economy – has spiralled. What was initially excitement swiftly turned to panic and frustration, as the news of US tariffs against dozens of countries inspired a pause in console preorders within the United States and Canada, and speculation the console’s announced price would need to be significantly adjusted, to account for this tax.
As of writing, the US has placed a 145% tariff on goods being imported to the US from China, in a wild escalation. While initially, the tariff against China was much lower, reciprocal moves – including a threat to stop bringing Hollywood movies to China – has seen US President Donald Trump continuously pushing up the tariff percentage.
For companies producing goods within China, and needing to import them into the United States, the move has been devastating.
In the case of the Nintendo Switch 2, much of its production has been shared between China and Vietnam, with consoles produced in these regions being shipped into the United States. With tariffs continuing to rise, many have questioned how Nintendo will release the console in the US, and whether it will be affordable for those keen to buy it.
Read: Trump’s US tariffs are likely to make board games unaffordable
A new report from Bloomberg may have the answer, as analysis has suggest Nintendo planned ahead, and that it’s already imported over one million Nintendo Switch 2 consoles into the United States.
Bloomberg tracked Nintendo shipments from Vietnam over a number of months, noting increased production and import volume in January and February 2025, with units going largely towards the United States.
As noted by Bloomberg, with the amount of consoles shipped, and the 90-day pause on tariffs allowing for a window where imports from Vietnam are taxed at just 10%, Nintendo could continue to build a Switch stockpile that would get around the larger tariffs, and allow them to release the console within the United States, for its previously-announced price point.
Notably, Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America President, did recently confirm to CNBC that the company had “some time to build up inventories on a global basis” prior to the formal announcement for the console. While his comments didn’t go into specifics, it does appear Nintendo Switch 2 consoles may be ready and waiting in the wings within their intended countries, already.
For now, Nintendo has not confirmed the status of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles entering the United States, and preorders remain closed. It’s likely the company will wait out the current tariff war taking place within the US to announce further plans, so we’ll need to stay tuned for a firmer update.
At the very least, there is now some hope for keen Nintendo Switch 2 owners within the United States, waiting for news of a price hike, or otherwise.
