Nintendo has announced a new Customer Appreciation Sale, stating that the promotion is partially funded by approximately $300 million in tariff refunds recovered from the U.S. government. The sale, described as one of the company’s largest promotions to date, begins at midnight ET on September 13 and concludes on September 26.
According to Nintendo, the discount event covers digital titles, physical games, downloadable content, Amiibo figures, accessories, and merchandise available through the eShop, the Nintendo Store, and third-party retailers. Discounts reach up to 30 percent on dozens of products.
In a statement released alongside the announcement, Nintendo clarified that while it absorbed the majority of tariff-related costs, the refunded funds helped facilitate promotional pricing. “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,” the company said.
The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of how major retailers handle tariff reimbursements. Earlier this year, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government seeking to reclaim tariff payments after the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s global levies were illegal. In an earnings report released last month, the company confirmed it had received roughly $300 million in refunds and emphasized that these tariffs were primarily borne by the corporation rather than transferred to consumers via price hikes.
However, the timing of the sale has drawn criticism given that Nintendo recently increased prices for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the United States, Canada, and Europe, citing “changes in market conditions.” Similar price adjustments were made in August 2025 for the original Switch and other products following the imposition of import tariffs.
Nintendo is currently facing a class-action lawsuit from consumers who allege the company failed to pass tariff refunds on to buyers. In a July motion to dismiss, Nintendo argued that it is not legally obligated to return the funds, asserting that customers received exactly what they paid for at the time of purchase.
This legal battle mirrors similar cases filed against Sony and Amazon over their handling of tariff-related price increases. Meanwhile, indie developer Panic has been cited as a counterexample after deciding to refund tariff fees directly to Playdate owners.
Critics have condemned Nintendo’s decision to frame the discount event as a gesture of gratitude to players while retaining the bulk of the tariff refunds. The juxtaposition of labeling the sale a thank-you to consumers—while simultaneously suing those same consumers over the refunds—has been widely described as tone-deaf within the gaming community.
So we pay more for the Switch 2, get a 30 percent coupon, and they still keep $300 million? Makes sense, purely corporate.
I don’t mind sales, but the hypocrisy here is wild. You can’t call it appreciation while actively fighting consumers in court.
Wait, did they actually refund anyone directly? Panic gave money back. Nintendo just threw a tiny sale at us and kept the rest.
Saying thanks while suing us for the same money? That is incredibly tone-deaf. Keep your discounted DLC, I just want fair pricing.