Bloomberg expects that due to the introduction of Trump's tariffs, Nintendo and Sony consoles will increase in price by 30% in the United States.
The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 could cost around $590 in the US instead of the announced $449. Sony's PlayStation 5 will have similar prices. Both consoles are assembled in China, which is currently subject to a 125% tariff, although Nintendo is also expanding production in Vietnam, where a 90-day reprieve from increased tariffs is in effect.
Console makers are the most vulnerable in the video game industry because they manufacture hardware and must deliver physical goods, according to analyst Nathan Naidoo. The U.S. accounts for 29% of Sony's revenue and 37% of Nintendo's sales, he said.
Nintendo partner Hosiden Corporation has been reorienting almost all of its production in Vietnam to the U.S. market since the beginning of this year, suggesting that efforts to stockpile have already begun. Even with the Trump administration’s three-month pause on the most severe tariffs — with the exception of those on China — there is still a flat 10% levy that the U.S. currently levies on any goods coming from abroad.