Consumers in China will seemingly be made to wait to get their hands on the Switch 2.
According to a report from Nikkei, Nintendo is indefinitely delaying pre-orders in the region to assess demand levels in the notoriously tough-to-crack (and highly regulated) market.
It would mean the Switch 2 might not land in China on June 5, 2025—as will be the case in Japan, Europe, and other regions.
Unlike the pre-launch delays in Canada and the United States, where pre-orders have been pushed back while Nintendo gets to grips with tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, the latest curveball is reportedly due to government regulations in China.
Nikkei (via a Resetera translation) states that sales of the Nintendo Switch, which was released in China in 2019, have been sluggish due to government regulations that limit the number of games available. This has reportedly led Nintendo to adopt a more measured approach with the Switch 2.
It also claims the popularity of mobile games in the region is another factor giving Nintendo pause for thought—with consumers in China reportedly less likely to invest in a game console.
According to Chinese firm Gamma Data, the Chinese market was valued at 325.8 billion yuan ($44.4 billion) in 2024.
“The hurdles to success in China remain high,” Gamma Data chief analyst Wang Xu told Nikkei. “They need to improve the consumer experience while complying with government policies, and there is also the issue of whether they will be able to introduce major international software.”
In China, Tencent has been the primary distributor for the Switch and its software. The company declined to comment on the situation when approached by Nikkei.
Last year, Nintendo and Tencent announced the Switch eShop will be closing in China on May 15, 2026.
Game Developer has contacted Nintendo for comment.
