Nintendo argues against customer tariff refunds, seeks dismissal of lawsuit.

In March, Nintendo took legal action against the U.S. government, seeking a refund, with interest, for the tariffs it had paid since their implementation under President Donald Trump. Shortly after, in April, a class-action lawsuit was filed by two customers claiming they were also entitled to refunds. The price hikes on certain hardware were a direct result of the tariff policies that have been causing frustration for consumers over the past year.

The plaintiffs contended that the refunds should be passed on to consumers who faced higher prices due to these tariffs. Their filing noted, “American consumers paid higher retail prices for consumer goods reflecting the economic burden of those tariffs.”

Recently, Nintendo has attempted to dismiss the class-action lawsuit, asserting that it has no legal obligation to refund customers. The company’s legal documents stated, “Plaintiffs are not entitled to a rebate simply because of intervening legal developments related to tariffs.” They argued that customers who bought Nintendo products after the price increases, which affected Nintendo Switch 2 accessories and other hardware, “received exactly what they bargained and paid for.”

Nintendo maintains that, similar to many competitors, it raised prices to account for tariffs and other rising costs. However, it emphasized that it did not simply apply a uniform price increase based on the tariffs paid. Instead, Nintendo implemented selective and modest price adjustments, absorbing some of the tariff costs on popular products, including the Nintendo Switch 2. This aligns with previous statements that the tariffs did not impact the Switch 2’s launch price of $449.99.

According to Nintendo, consumers chose to pay the higher prices, and thus, they are not owed any refunds. They could have opted not to purchase the product or sought alternatives.

The decision now rests with the courts to determine whether the lawsuit will be dismissed or allowed to proceed.

Tariffs aren’t the sole factor influencing hardware prices. The ongoing computer component crisis is widespread and likely contributing to Nintendo’s plans to increase the Switch 2’s price by $50 on September 1. Prices for PlayStation and Xbox consoles have also risen this year.