Game Consoles Hit by New US Tariffs While PCs and Smartphones Get Relief

Video game consoles are not exempt from President Trump’s latest round of tariffs on imports to the U.S.—unlike smartphones and PCs, which managed to dodge the additional fees. This move is poised to shake up the gaming hardware industry and could spell higher prices for gamers down the line.

According to Chris Dring of The Game Business, major gaming consoles including the PlayStation, Xbox, and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will be impacted. While certain internal components used in consoles made it onto the U.S. government's tariff exemption list, the consoles themselves did not.

Smartphones, PCs Spared — But Consoles Left in the Cold

Smartphones and computers were given a pass from the new tariffs, but it remains unclear whether the omission of game consoles was a deliberate decision or an oversight. Still, there’s a silver lining for Nintendo fans: physical Switch game cartridges are exempt, thanks to their classification as “solid-state non-volatile storage devices.”

Complex Tariff Landscape, Especially for China

The new tariffs vary by country. Most imports now face a 10% tariff, but goods from China are hit especially hard, with a 125% duty now in place—on top of an existing 20% tariff. These rising costs could drastically increase manufacturing expenses for console makers.

More worryingly, the U.S. had also proposed even steeper tariffs targeting countries like Vietnam, where a significant portion of Nintendo’s production takes place. While those additional tariffs are currently on hold for 90 days as negotiations continue, they still loom as a potential threat.

Nintendo Switch 2 Already Feeling the Heat

The timing couldn’t be worse for Nintendo. Due to the uncertainty around tariffs, U.S. pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2—scheduled to start on April 9—have been delayed. Despite the pressure, reports suggest that Nintendo still plans to launch the console at $450, as they stockpiled most of the Vietnam-made Switch 2 for the U.S. as Bloomberg reported.

Who Pays the Price?

For now, most console manufacturers are expected to absorb the increased costs—at least temporarily. But if harsher tariffs do take effect after the 90-day pause, price hikes for consumers may become unavoidable.

The next few months could be critical in determining how much of this burden gamers will ultimately bear.