Nintendo Switch 2 Is Now Indefinitely Delayed in One Region

Nintendo Switch 2 is still on track to release on June 5th throughout most of the world, but the system won’t be coming out that day in one region. According to Nikkei (via Wccftech), Nintendo has decided to indefinitely delay the console’s launch in China. Apparently, the company wants to see what kind of demand exists in other regions, before making any kind of commitment to bring the system to China. As Wccftech notes, the current Switch was not released in the country until 2019, so this isn’t totally unprecedented. However, the original plan was to release in China, and preorders had already begun from retailers.

It will be interesting to see what demand is like for the console in other regions, and how Nintendo manages to keep up with supply. There are a lot of questions surrounding the system, including how sales might be impacted by tariffs. Preorders for Nintendo Switch 2 were supposed to begin today in the U.S. and Canada, but were delayed as a result of the current tariff situation. This has led to the assumption that Nintendo’s announced price of $449.99 could increase. A new price has not been confirmed, but analysts have predicted that it could go as high as $530.

Nintendo and other video game companies have had a spotty history when it comes to releasing systems in China, largely due to laws and regulations, as well as concerns over piracy. While Nintendo has made efforts to break into the region over the last 25 years, the market for the company’s systems in the area remains far smaller when compared to North America, Japan, and Europe. Nintendo partnered with Tencent to release a region-locked version of the Switch in the country, but it was not clear if that was also the plan for Nintendo Switch 2.

Delaying the console in the area could help Nintendo focus on regions where demand could be higher. Given the concerns fans have over resellers, this decision might end up being a good thing. While we don’t know what the demand is going to be, the current Switch is one of the best-selling video games systems of all-time. There are going to be a lot of fans eager to buy the new system for that reason alone, not just at launch, but particularly as the holiday season approaches.

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As June 5th gets closer, we’ll have to wait and see what decisions Nintendo makes as far as pricing, preorder dates, and region availability. With less than 2 months to go, the company will have to make some decisions so fans know how much they’ll need to spend, and when to get ready to preorder the system. Hopefully we’ll get all those answers sometime soon.

Are you surprised about this delay in China? Do you think it will help improve supply in other regions? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!