Gaming enthusiasts have expressed outrage since the Switch 2 announcement, and their dissatisfaction may soon intensify dramatically.
Though the Nintendo Switch successor has been eagerly anticipated, the company’s April 2 Direct presentation received divided feedback from players.
Despite tremendous excitement surrounding upcoming Mario Kart and Metroid franchise installments, the gaming community has voiced substantial discontent.
Much of the backlash centers on the steep pricing structure for both the console and its games.
Currently, the Nintendo Switch 2 console alone costs $449.99 – representing a significant investment.
Additionally, the games themselves reportedly will cost at least $70, with Mario Kart World expected to be priced at $79.99, creating further financial strain for consumers.
Compounding these concerns, Nintendo has released a statement delaying pre-orders due to economic uncertainty in the American market.
Their announcement stated: “Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”
This development comes shortly after President Trump unveiled extensive international tariffs.
It remains unclear whether Nintendo’s previously announced pricing had already incorporated the tariffs Trump had been signaling.
Predictably, social media reactions have been overwhelmingly negative, with users directing criticism at both Nintendo and the administration.
One commenter remarked: “I’m gonna be serious here, people always praised Nintendo for having smaller games with moderate budgets, and yet they’re the first to increase game prices to $80/$90?! This is ridiculous.”
Another expressed: “This is horrible and sad for gamers and consumers in general. Awful start to the year.”
A third observed: “Its funny, how yesterday, every fanboy saw their price and was claiming the tariffs were responsible. Now they have basically said: ‘Nah dog, we didn’t even factor that in yet.'”
One skeptical user suggested: “We are trying to figure out if we can raise the price another $50 and blame it on ‘tariffs.'”
While someone else simply stated: “All my excitement is gone right now this feels awful.”