# Nintendo funds sale with $300m in tariff refunds withheld from customers

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/nintendos-latest-sale-is-made-possible-by-the-tariff-refunds-its-hoarding/
- Published: 2026-09-10T16:13:02+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-10T22:26:34+00:00
- Original publisher: Engadget
- Original article: https://www.engadget.com/2254785/nintendos-latest-sale-is-made-possible-by-the-tariff-refunds-its-hoarding/
- Topics: Entertainment, Gaming

## Key points

- Nintendo's sale is partly funded by $300m in undisclosed tariff refunds
- Discounts run 13-26 September with 30% off games, DLC and merch
- Nintendo faces a lawsuit, like Sony and Amazon, over withheld refunds

## Summary

Nintendo has confirmed that its "Customer Appreciation Sale", described as one of its largest promotions ever, is funded in part by roughly $300 million in tariff refunds it received from the US government but chose not to pass on to customers. The company said the discounts were "made possible in part by tariff-related refunds", despite having previously raised Switch and Switch 2 prices in the US, Canada and Europe citing tariffs, and it now faces a consumer lawsuit, alongside Sony and Amazon, over its refusal to return those refunds to buyers who paid the higher prices.

The sale ran from midnight ET on 13 September to 26 September across the eShop, Nintendo Store and retailers, offering 30% off dozens of digital games, bundles, DLC, physical games, Amiibo and other merchandise. Nintendo obtained the refunds after suing the US government following a Supreme Court ruling that the Trump administration's global tariffs were illegal, and it disclosed the $300 million figure in an earnings report, stating the related costs had mostly been absorbed by the company rather than passed to consumers. In a July motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Nintendo argued it was not legally obliged to repay the refunds, saying buyers "received exactly what they bargained and paid for". By contrast, Playdate maker Panic returned its tariff refunds directly to customers.

## Coverage

- [Engadget: Nintendo funds sale with $300m in tariff refunds withheld from customers](https://www.engadget.com/2254785/nintendos-latest-sale-is-made-possible-by-the-tariff-refunds-its-hoarding/)
- [Eurogamer: Nintendo of America thanks fans for dealing with tariff-related price hikes by encouraging them to spend more money in a new sale](https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-american-tarrif-refund-sale)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.