Nintendo launches major discount event funded by recent US tariff refunds

Beginning at midnight ET on September 13, Nintendo’s Customer Appreciation Sale will run for two weeks, featuring about 30 percent price cuts on dozens of games, bundles, DLC, physical copies, Amiibo and accessories. The promotion spans the eShop, Nintendo Store and authorized retailers. Nintendo said the sale is possible in part because it recently recouped roughly $300 million in tariff refunds from the U.S. government, after a Supreme Court decision invalidated the Trump-era import levies.

Although the company absorbed most tariff costs, it chose to use the refunds to fund the discounts rather than return the money to consumers, a move that is being contested in a consumer lawsuit. Nintendo also recently raised Switch pricing in the U.S., Canada and Europe, citing “changes in market conditions.” The lawsuit argues the company is not legally required to distribute the refunds, but critics view the sale as a way to boost sales while keeping the recovered funds.