In a world where red shells and banana peels are supposed to be the biggest threats, gamers have just discovered their true nemesis: Donald Trump's global tariffs. The eagerly awaited Nintendo Switch 2 is already testing wallets with a base price of $449.99—but a fresh twist in the tale reveals the pain might just be getting started.
Just days after announcing a June 5 release and teasing fans with glimpses of Mario Kart World and Metroid Reimagined, Nintendo dropped a not-so-fun update: U.S. pre-orders are paused indefinitely. The culprit? Not Bowser. Not Ridley. But Trump’s economic strategy.
Insert Coin to Continue—If You Can Afford It
Already, the console is drawing heat for what fans call “next-gen pricing madness.” With Mario Kart World rumored to retail at $79.99, the Switch 2 is feeling less like a family console and more like a collector’s item you store in a glass case next to your mortgage paperwork.
Online, gamers are furious. “All my excitement is gone right now. This feels awful,” one fan wrote. Another was more cutting: “We’re trying to figure out if we can raise the price another $50 and blame it on ‘tariffs.’”
One particularly sharp take compared the shift from budget-friendly Nintendo to big-budget Nintendo as “a betrayal of the company’s soul.” After all, wasn’t this the brand that thrived on quirky charm, not capitalistic chaos?
When Escape Becomes a Headache
The irony couldn’t be more painful. Video games, often celebrated as an escape from real-world stress, are now being held hostage by it. Trump’s economic crusade, designed to bolster American production, may now be blowing up the very imports that fuel joy across millions of households.
And let’s be honest—gamers have long tolerated console shortages, joy-con drift, and terrible online servers. But this? Watching your favorite pastime fall victim to geopolitical power moves? That’s an L even seasoned speedrunners didn’t see coming.
Is This Just a Glitch—or the New Game Mode?
For now, Nintendo remains tight-lipped on when pre-orders will resume or whether prices will rise. But fans are already preparing for the worst—memeing their misery while refreshing news updates in hopes that someone, somewhere, will press pause on the madness.
Until then, players might want to hang onto their OG Switches a little tighter. Because in this bizarre new level of late-stage capitalism, even Mario needs a bailout.
Just days after announcing a June 5 release and teasing fans with glimpses of Mario Kart World and Metroid Reimagined, Nintendo dropped a not-so-fun update: U.S. pre-orders are paused indefinitely. The culprit? Not Bowser. Not Ridley. But Trump’s economic strategy.
“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 said in an official statement. Translation? Prices might go up even more—and nobody knows by how much.Take a closer look at the #NintendoSwitch2 system, launching on June 5, 2025!
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 2, 2025
Learn more: https://t.co/ty8U4WmHMk pic.twitter.com/DhUWC4CuBR
Nintendo delays Switch 2 pre-orders in response to Trump tariffs
— Nintendeal (@Nintendeal) April 4, 2025
“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 said in a statement provided to Polygon.… pic.twitter.com/popW2xvFLx
Insert Coin to Continue—If You Can Afford It
Already, the console is drawing heat for what fans call “next-gen pricing madness.” With Mario Kart World rumored to retail at $79.99, the Switch 2 is feeling less like a family console and more like a collector’s item you store in a glass case next to your mortgage paperwork.
Online, gamers are furious. “All my excitement is gone right now. This feels awful,” one fan wrote. Another was more cutting: “We’re trying to figure out if we can raise the price another $50 and blame it on ‘tariffs.’”
One particularly sharp take compared the shift from budget-friendly Nintendo to big-budget Nintendo as “a betrayal of the company’s soul.” After all, wasn’t this the brand that thrived on quirky charm, not capitalistic chaos?
When Escape Becomes a Headache
The irony couldn’t be more painful. Video games, often celebrated as an escape from real-world stress, are now being held hostage by it. Trump’s economic crusade, designed to bolster American production, may now be blowing up the very imports that fuel joy across millions of households.
And let’s be honest—gamers have long tolerated console shortages, joy-con drift, and terrible online servers. But this? Watching your favorite pastime fall victim to geopolitical power moves? That’s an L even seasoned speedrunners didn’t see coming.
Is This Just a Glitch—or the New Game Mode?
For now, Nintendo remains tight-lipped on when pre-orders will resume or whether prices will rise. But fans are already preparing for the worst—memeing their misery while refreshing news updates in hopes that someone, somewhere, will press pause on the madness.
Until then, players might want to hang onto their OG Switches a little tighter. Because in this bizarre new level of late-stage capitalism, even Mario needs a bailout.
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