With US preorders starting tomorrow, Nintendo issues a warning about Japanese Switch 2 supply
In a bit of a bittersweet chiptune symphony, demand for Nintendo’s Switch 2 appears to be significantly outpacing the gaming giant’s expectations, potentially squeezing supply.
In a post on X, the company said it has already received 2.2 million preorders for its new console in Japan, which “far exceeds” its expectations. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa apologized that “a significant number” of preorder applicants won’t be selected.
Nintendo sold less than half a million units of the original Switch in its first month on sale in Japan in 2017. The original Switch has been out for eight years, longer than the typical console lifespan, sending hype (and sales expectations) skyrocketing. There’s also the matter of price: the Japanese-language handheld is roughly $120 cheaper in Japan than in the US.
The supply warning could be a sign of things to come in the US, where the delayed start date for preorders has been pushed to Thursday. Recent reports show that Nintendo has diverted virtually all of its Vietnamese production to the US to build up a stockpile in the country amid tariff turmoil.
Nintendo recently said it wouldn’t hike its $450 US price point for the Switch 2, though it has bumped the cost of many new accessories by $5 to $10. Even if tariffs squeeze margins, its elevated $80 software price ceiling could shoulder some of the burden.
Nintendo sold less than half a million units of the original Switch in its first month on sale in Japan in 2017. The original Switch has been out for eight years, longer than the typical console lifespan, sending hype (and sales expectations) skyrocketing. There’s also the matter of price: the Japanese-language handheld is roughly $120 cheaper in Japan than in the US.
The supply warning could be a sign of things to come in the US, where the delayed start date for preorders has been pushed to Thursday. Recent reports show that Nintendo has diverted virtually all of its Vietnamese production to the US to build up a stockpile in the country amid tariff turmoil.
Nintendo recently said it wouldn’t hike its $450 US price point for the Switch 2, though it has bumped the cost of many new accessories by $5 to $10. Even if tariffs squeeze margins, its elevated $80 software price ceiling could shoulder some of the burden.
