Max Gibson
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rmaxgibson.bsky.social
Max Gibson
@rmaxgibson.bsky.social
Independent Video Game Developer of Line Clipper: Tennis Tactics
I think a site dedicated to the premise of "reviews, but 5 years late" could actually be as useful as in-the-moment reviews

More likely to have a better grasp as to what is a gimmick vs a genuine innovation. Already know what had a cultural impact vs a flash in the pan vs cult classic potential
November 25, 2025 at 3:57 AM
I suspect Nintendo will wait until around the Mario Kart World Direct to announce anything to give them time to see if the trade war cools down or heats up. All of these are short term plans that rely on tariffs going away eventually. If tariffs don't come down, prices will go up sooner or later
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
A six week delay gives you the added benefit of a softer launch for Mario Kart World's online. Plus the launch lineup in North America would be one DK stronger.
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
I would still consider even just a short six week delay where Nintendo releases the console alongside Donkey Kong Bananza. You could pause imports for just a few weeks hoping that the tariffs will be rescinded or at least be reduced quickly due to backlash or new trade deals
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Another big problem with a delay is figuring out how long to delay. The Trump administration changes policies so often and haphazardly that it is impossible to plan around.
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
A delay in just NA probably results in the worst possible scalping issues, though at least in this scenario it is the scalpers who should be responsible for tariffs and take on that risk
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
The third option, which looks best to me on the outside without the benefit of their internal numbers and projections, is to delay the launch in NA. Up to this point, though, Nintendo has made sure to stress that there is no delay
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
This probably isn't a big deal when it comes to consoles, but would be a big deal for how retailers handle software. All the retailers Nintendo made angry by transferring major risk to them would be a lot less likely to hold the MSRP line on the price of Nintendo first party games
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
If Nintendo passes on the tariff costs to retailers, not only does the price still go up anyways, they risk losing control of pricing long term. Retailers in the US tend to adhere to MSRPs more than just about anywhere else. If you force retailers off of the MSRP, they may not go back when you want
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
This scenario effectively cuts out the scalpers as middle men and just has the retailers sell at scalper's prices. I mean, if a retailer is going above MSRP anyway, why wouldn't they just sell at the actual market price based on launch limited supply and high demand?
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Retailers probably don't have large enough margins to eat the cost (even if Nintendo eats some of the cost themselves), so retailers would be forced to either not carry the Switch 2 or sell it above the MSRP and pass on the cost of the tariff to consumers
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
So what about the second option where Nintendo keeps the MSRP the same, but still passes on the cost? How does that work? Basically, Nintendo could theoretically increase the wholesale price without changing the MSRP. Retailers would be very unhappy with this as they would be in the same predicament
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
But if Nintendo reduces supply to NA, that obliterates all the anti-scalper planning they did. So many Switch 2s will still be going for prices as if the tariff costs were being passed on to the consumer, all while Nintendo is losing money on the sale. That's a tough pill for Nintendo to swallow
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Most people are hoping Nintendo will just eat the cost, at least short term, but even if the tariffs don't last very long, the cost to Nintendo will add up fast. Nintendo would likely try to reduce supply to NA and focus on fulfilling demand in other regions where they are actually making a profit
April 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
The only way the price doesn't go up (other than a reverse of course on tariffs) is if Nintendo winds down Switch 1 production earlier than expected
April 7, 2025 at 1:10 AM
I'm also curious if Kirby Air Riders will keep the one button concept. It made for some interesting vehicles, but having a separate button for items would be nice.
April 3, 2025 at 11:52 PM