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Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch 2 console will go on sale on June 5 at a price that suggests the threat of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could hit the video gaming industry’s hopes for a new device that will turbocharge sales.
The new machine will have a starting price of $449.99 in the US. The cost is near the top end of analyst expectations, reflecting fears that supply chains could be impacted by the new US administration’s sweeping levies on trading partners.
Serkan Toto, a Japan-based games expert and founder of Kantan Games, said the price “suggested Nintendo was building a buffer in case tariffs hit supply chains harder than expected”.
Nintendo has already shipped hundreds of thousands of Switch 2s to the US from factories in Vietnam, hoping that its efforts to reduce its reliance on Chinese production since Trump’s first presidency would pay dividends.
The launch of the Switch 2 is a huge moment for Nintendo which is one of the last pure play gaming companies that relies on its console, as well as sales of iconic game franchises such as Mario and Zelda.
The original Switch has sold more than 150mn units so far. That device, costing $300, revolutionised gaming when it was released as the world’s first hybrid of a handheld and home console eight years ago.
Nintendo started an hour-long video presentation on Wednesday by giving fans what they wanted in the shape of Mario Kart World, a new entry in the series that will allow players to roam free beyond the racetrack.
The Kyoto-based company then revealed technical specifications and a host of third-party games for the Switch 2, many of which, such as Elden Ring, were not available on the original machine. It ended the “Direct” with a new 3D Donkey Kong game.
Some other analysts, including Atul Goyal at Jefferies, had predicted the company would price the console closer to the now announced cost and that any dip in share price after the presentation would be reversed as sales started to roll in, driven by pent-up demand
As predicted by many analysts, the Switch 2 does not represent a step change from its predecessor. Upgrades includes an 7.9-inch LCD screen, 256gb of internal storage and new chat and video functions.
“Switch 2 does pack more power, but the device is more incremental than revolutionary and lacks the magic users felt when the current model launched,” said Toto. “Nintendo did not really disappoint but failed to offer a huge surprise or twist to the hardware itself or the game line-up.”
Alongside the headline price of the console, the cost of the new Switch 2 games, including $80 for the new Mario Kart, has also elicited scepticism among some gamers.
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