Earlier today, Nintendo made the unprecedented decision to delay prerelease orders for the Switch 2 in the US in order for the company to “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions.” The news follows the Trump Administration announcing its plan to implement steep and controversial tariffs across the globe, with nations such as Japan, Vietnam, China, Canada, Mexico, and the EU facing the worst of these trade penalties. But while Nintendo might be the first company to address the impact these tariffs will have on production, the Entertainment Software Association–the video game industry’s trade association that represents most of its major publishers–suspects that this is just the beginning.
In an interview with IGN, ESA spokesperson Aubrey Quinn said that the tariffs being announced the same day as the Switch 2’s pricing reveal was “just unfortunate coincidental timing,” and that Americans “aren’t taking it seriously” if we think think it’s just the Switch 2 that will impacted by tariffs.
“It’s been interesting with media coverage around video games and tariffs because just unfortunate coincidental timing that the Switch [2 reveal] was the same day as President Trump’s announcement. There are so many devices we play video games on. There are other consoles, but as I was saying, VR headsets, our smartphones, people who love PC games, if we think it’s just the Switch, then we aren’t taking it seriously. This is going to have an impact,” Quinn said.
“Even American-based companies, they’re getting products that need to cross into American borders to make those consoles, to make those games. And so there’s going to be a real impact regardless of company. This is company-agnostic, this is an entire industry. There’s going to be an impact on the entire industry.”
Quinn added that she expects that the “entire consumer ecosystem” will be affected by these tariffs, as higher prices and a volatile economy means consumers are less likely to spend. This will in turn impact company revenue, job security, research and development, and “even what the next generation of consoles will look like,” IGN reporter Rebekah Valentine noted.
Like consumers–and the media, for that matter–Quinn said the ESA is still trying to figure out exactly how things will play out and just how big said impact will be. Though the organization assumed these tariffs were coming due to Trump’s past actions and campaign promises, they are unsure how things will ultimately play out and are “trying not to have knee-jerk reactions.”
“We don’t think that what President Trump announced this week is the end of the story, but what was announced this week and the tariffs as outlined, we do expect these tariffs will have a real and detrimental impact on the industry and the hundreds of millions of Americans who love to play games,” Quinn said. “Our goal is to work with the administration, to work with other elected officials to try to find a solution that doesn’t damage U.S. industries, U.S. business, but also American gamers and families.”
Fortunately, Quinn said that there are actions concerned citizens can take that that might make an impact. Reaching out to your representatives–be it through letters, calls, emails, tweets, or other forms of communication–is an effective method for ensuring that elected officials and their staff “hear that their constituents are concerned.” Quinn also stated that members of the ESA have met with the Trump Administration, White House employees, and members of the United States Trade Representative, and are having conversations regarding these tariffs and their impact on the video games industry.
For months now, experts have speculated that President Trump’s proposed tariffs would have significant ramifications for the gaming industry. While some have theorized that these tariffs might encourage companies such as Nintendo to produce in the United States, Analyst Daniel Ahmad of Niko Partners pointed out that this would be incredibly unrealistic.
“Nintendo would need to spend billions to open a factory in the US,” Ahmad said. “It’d probably take 4-5 years to complete this. Not to mention the time and cost to rebuild supply chain infrastructure and source components (which would be subject to tariffs because they’re made outside the US). They’d then need to find, train and pay employees to operate the factory.”