Nintendo has announced a 'Customer Appreciation Sale' that it calls one of its largest promotions ever, offering 30% off dozens of digital Switch games and bundles, along with discounts on select physical games, downloadable content, accessories, amiibo, and apparel. The sale will run across the Nintendo eShop, the Nintendo Store, and participating retail locations. GamesRadar+ reports the sale begins September 12 at 9pm PT and ends September 26 at 8:59pm PT, while Eurogamer and Kotaku report a start date of September 13, with all sources agreeing it ends September 26.
In its announcement, Nintendo stated: 'The Customer Appreciation Sale is our way of saying thank you to Nintendo players for their continued support and is made possible in part by tariff-related refunds. While Nintendo absorbed most tariff-related costs, the refunds helped make promotions like this one possible.' According to GamesRadar+, Nintendo received $300 million in tariff refunds. Kotaku reports these refunds came after the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump's tariffs were illegal, and that Nintendo had filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department, Homeland Security, and Customs & Border Protection to recover tariff money it had paid.
The sale arrives amid an ongoing class action lawsuit against Nintendo of America over its refusal to pass tariff refunds on to customers. Eurogamer reports that Nintendo is arguing in court it has no obligation to refund customers, contending that Switch buyers received 'what they bargained and paid for.' Eurogamer also notes that Microsoft and Sony are making similar arguments against issuing tariff refunds to their own customers.
GamesRadar+ notes that Nintendo announced the Switch 2's $450 price under the threat of looming tariffs, and that the price held steady even after tariffs were implemented and later ruled illegal. The outlet notes that the console's price was later raised to $500, which it attributes more directly to a global RAM shortage linked to AI data center demand rather than tariffs, though it says tariffs remain a factor in the console's overall cost.
The announcement has drawn criticism online. Eurogamer cites social media reactions questioning Nintendo's framing, including one comment noting 'that's... not how sales work,' and another asking why Nintendo doesn't simply lower prices permanently if the sale stems from refunded tariff money. Kotaku similarly frames the sale as an apparent attempt by Nintendo to offer some goodwill to customers who paid higher prices for Switch 2 hardware, while still resisting efforts to hand over tariff-related refunds directly.