Excited for the Nintendo Switch 2? You might need to temper those expectations. Gamers everywhere are bracing themselves for the inevitable economic turbulence coming their way as recent US tariffs on imported electronics cause a ripple effect across the global financial market. These tariffs coming into play couldn’t have come at a worse time for Nintendo, which is currently gearing up for the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 after years of anticipation.
However, Nintendo isn’t the only Japanese platform holder who is already having to recuperate funds lost to these tariffs. Sony has announced that as of April 14, the standard PS5 console will see a price hike across several regions including; Europe, the UK, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Gaming Tariffs Will Make an Already Expensive Hobby More Expensive
Given the timing of this announcement and the mention of, “A challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates,” in the official PlayStation Blog post confirming the details, it is pretty hard to deny that these price hikes are a direct consequence of the Trump administration’s decision to rise US tariff costs.
Sony is raising PS5 prices in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand today. The digital version is going from £389 to £429 in the UK, an increase of 10%. PS5 Pro pricing remains unchanged, but the PS5 disc drive is decreasing in price in these regions https://t.co/zBjq8biq00 pic.twitter.com/3kcA02ftY2
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) April 14, 2025
While the PS5 Pro remains unaffected for now, the price of the external PS5 disc drive peripheral will see a price increase to go along with the RRP of the base PS5 console. The fact that political policies are beginning to impact gamers in the US sucks. What is even worse is that those outside of us the US are suffering due to the economic knock-on effect, despite the fact that we never voted either for or against the Trump administration.
Things Could Go from Bad to Worse for the Nintendo Switch 2 Launch
On top of the universal baseline 10-percent tariff on foreign imports that Trump has imposed, the current administration’s investigation into US dependency on foreign semiconductors could lead to new tariffs of 25% or more being imposed on imports from Eastern countries like Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and China.
Due to the fact that the Switch 2 uses a custom Nvidia chip, these tariff increases could be detrimental to Nintendo. The Switch 2’s global rollout is planned for June 5, and a spike in manufacturing costs right before this date could hinder the console’s success before it is even out the door.
Currently priced at $449.99, or $499.99 for the Mario Kart bundle, the Switch 2 features a 7.9” 1080p 120Hz screen along with the aforementioned custom Nvidia chip embedded in its hardware. If tariffs come into effect before global shipping properly kicks off, this price point could quickly inflate in certain regions.
These changes also hint at broader issues for consumers and developers. With higher prices, reduced availability, and increased operational costs, innovation may take a backseat while companies scramble to protect margins. global gaming could enter a more expensive and uncertain era. Whether through higher retail prices or tighter regional rollouts, the impact of trade policy on your next console is becoming harder to ignore.
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out how The Last of Us Season 2 may be changing more from the games than we thought, or how Hideo Kojima is bringing accessibility to the Death Stranding 2 boss fights.
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Daniel Boyd is the former Co-Lead of Gaming at FandomWire, where he helped build the gaming team from the ground up and successfully managed a team of 30+ writers. Experienced in SEO optimization and content strategy, he has a keen eye for detail and a deep passion for pop culture. Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, Daniel has worked with companies worldwide, crafting high-quality, engaging content that resonates with audiences across the globe.
