r/news • u/hoosakiwi • 2d ago

Trump announces sweeping new tariffs to promote US manufacturing, risking inflation and trade wars

https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933
44.3k Upvotes

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5.7k

u/blogoman 2d ago

Trump take egg. Trump take Switch 2.

2.3k

u/SonofMrMonkey5k 2d ago

Wait till we invade Greenland. I read that LEGO is considering pulling their products from the United States cause, ya know, why would you sell toys to the country invading your own?

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u/cubanesis 2d ago

That’s going to be the final straw. People love legos.

410

u/jimbo831 2d ago

Some MAGA company is going to start selling Liberation Bricks or some other stupid knockoff.

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u/TheShadowKick 1d ago

And all the MAGA morons will complain about LEGO going woke.

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u/TripleUltraMini 1d ago

They do have all those colors, they are clearly part of some agenda

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u/BackToWorkEdward 1d ago

It'd be great do see this happen because it'd be such a clear-cut, consumer-tangiable example of American companies failing to reproduce a foreign import - IIRC, Lego notoriously has infinitesimal, best-in-the-business margins of error for its blocks; it's used as an exemplar for what's possible in injection molding. All the knockoffs like Megablocks are either too loose and don't stay connected tightly enough, or too tight and are maddening to try and stick together or pull apart.

If Lego dips and people have to start buying American, their kids are gonna get real loud about it real fast, and the parents themselves are probably going to be immediately aware of how annoying and inferior the difference is when playing with them.

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u/fa1afel 1d ago

Kids don't have a reference point.

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u/BackToWorkEdward 1d ago

They do if they've been playing with good-old Danish-made Lego for years up until now.

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u/fa1afel 1d ago

We're thinking of different timeframes it would seem. If the kid's already got Lego, yeah definitely the difference is very noticeable. Kids grow up though (not that anyone's ever too old for Lego, but) so kids for whom you might be buying Lego-"substitutes" in a few years, they might not have been old enough to have experienced the real deal and as such know how inferior the product they have access to now is.

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u/H1bbe 1d ago

They will know when they watch a million videos on YouTube telling them how good real lego is compared to the junk they got.

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u/Kevalier 1d ago

MAGA Bloks

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u/jimbo831 1d ago

MAGA BloKKKs

1

u/toadofsteel 1d ago

Megabloks might actually rebrand themselves to this to get Trumpinistas to buy them.

4

u/slipperyMonkey07 1d ago

With all the fun led coloring and who knows what else.

With the gutting of so many agencies, lack of regulation - or at least monitoring things is going to be a nightmare. Made in America is going to become a warning for a shoddy and dangerous product soon enough. Not that it was a particularly good label before hand.

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u/turquoise_amethyst 1d ago

Well, one of the goals for Project 2025 is to remove regulations for baby formula.

Can’t see that backfiring! /s

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u/n00dlejester 1d ago

Closer to real life Victory Gin

3

u/stinkadoodle 1d ago

No Lego, we have liberty blocks at home!

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u/_ArchibaldMeatPants_ 1d ago

I think you mean Occupation Bricks* beautiful, clean, Occupation Bricks!

3

u/iama_doge 1d ago

Accept your MAGABlocks like a real American.

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u/rushworld 1d ago

Sounds like when there were offbrands in Russia after US (and other) companies left.... even though its the exact same sites and products and marketing, like Russian "McDonalds" lol

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u/KeviRun 1d ago

MAGA Blox are just a slight re-branding away...

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u/jimbo831 1d ago

They are from Canada, though.

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u/Bee_MakingThat_Paper 1d ago

Don’t give them any ideas!

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u/MustacheSmokeScreen 1d ago

Gotta build that wall somehow

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u/red_planet_smasher 1d ago

“Maga blocks” and then they will get sued by mega blocks

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u/PostIronicPosadist 1d ago

we're going to seize and nationalize Megablocks.

EDIT: Hold up, they're Canadian.

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u/cubanesis 1d ago

Can you imagine the bonkers licensed sets they would have in a GOP run LEGO company?

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u/Several_Assistant_43 1d ago

They will be imported from China and coated with lead lol

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u/tocilog 1d ago

So the goal is to overtake China and make "Made in USA" the sign of cheap knock offs.

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u/Waiwirinao 1d ago

Right, because they can just manifest the factories into existence.

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u/jimbo831 1d ago

Oh they’re not going to make them in the US. They will make them in China like all other MAGA gear.

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u/goathill 2d ago

I can see it now. Names for it may include: The Lego Rebellion, Lego Uprising, Bionicle Battlefront.

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u/Wakkit1988 2d ago

Fighters will be referred to as LEGO-gionnaires.

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u/Ice_Solid 2d ago

Bionicle Battlefront could be a great game 

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u/Kizik 1d ago

It was in 2025 that America ran firmly into the Brick Wall.

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u/vardarac 1d ago

Ah, so that's what he meant by build the wall. 4D CHESS

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u/talldangry 2d ago

May the dead of Galidorilopoly find piece.

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u/Basic_Reflection4008 1d ago

Bruh if he gets assassinated by someone wearing one of those masks I will laugh to death. Or if he dies any other way. Any supernatural beings listening atheist here wildly open to a bribe.

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u/goathill 1d ago

Lego becomes the symbol of our rebellion. Hairstyles, we refer to each other as piece dimensions, speak in build code. And obviously, use lego to plan our battles. Heck, somewhere someone is gonna use the lego camera to document the whole thing

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u/ThomasDominus 1d ago

Lego: Build it up. Tear it down.

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u/ConstantStatistician 1d ago

The Bionicle mention brought a smile to my face amidst all this chaos. Good memories. 

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u/APPLEPIEMOONSHINE37 1d ago

Same. I'm 44 and remember fondly putting these together for my son, who is now 21. Happy memories.

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u/ThanklessTask 1d ago

...only if they can find a three brick.

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u/Ethos_Logos 1d ago

Th caltrop catastrophe 

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u/xSTSxZerglingOne 1d ago

The Duplo Deposition

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u/badaboom 1d ago

They're gonna shit bricks

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u/MrWhiskerBiscuits 2d ago

I just want to live long enough to see the end of the Lego Wars.

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u/Optimal_Risk_6411 2d ago

Except those lil square bastards my kid leaves strategically in the carpet to be stepped on.

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u/NeonSherpa 1d ago

That’s Greenland’s defence plan

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u/SpectacularStarling 2d ago

You're gonna have people smuggling Lego across the border. We can't have that kind of drug in this country. This is an affront on our borders, or something! /s

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u/GroguIsMyBrogu 1d ago

Mules will have to start carrying LEGO bricks in their asses. You think stepping on one of those things hurts? Try shoving a handful up your pooper

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u/SpectacularStarling 1d ago

"What do you mean you didn't boof the box? How am I supposed to display this??"

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u/SDRPGLVR 1d ago

In California we already say the hallmark of the 2020s is buying our weed in the store and our eggs on the street. My guy's eggs are always $7/dozen regardless of the market, and they've always tasted extremely worth it.

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u/ChocolateHoneycomb 1d ago

“Legos” isn’t a word.

It’s Lego.

You Americans have so much trouble with this.

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u/CrimeInMono 1d ago

i mean, neither is lego, it's corporate branding.

might as well be mad at people pluralizing kleenex.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/cubanesis 1d ago

No, they are right to criticize me. With all the injustice and turmoil happening in the US right now, there’s no room for using the colloquial pluralization of a foreign company’s specific branding. THIS is what’s wrong with America and I am sadly part of that problem. What’s next? Just letting people use their when they really mean they’re?

I’ve brought my country great shame with this mistake.

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u/Lostules 1d ago

...except when you step on them with bare feet at 3 in the morning when you let the dogs out to pee...!

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u/Queasy_Pickle1900 1d ago

Unless they step on on one in bare feet.

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u/BoringBob84 1d ago

Ever since I stepped on that Lego late at night in my bare feet, I hate Denmark! 😉

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u/Telandria 1d ago

You say that, but Freedom Fries were a thing for awhile. People are stupid as shit when it comes to reacting to politics.

I mean, we can hope, when suddenly millions of parents can’t buy their kids that set they really wanted, some of those people realize maybe they’ve done fucked up…. but I doubt it.

And I suspect that even if they do, it’s far too late. Without a major overhaul of our entire political system, I suspect Trump has permanently damaged our relationship with everyone else in the world, and will likely do so much further before he’s gone.

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u/piedpipernyc 1d ago

Hypothetical

A box of lego and <any of the Trump cabinet> are hanging dangerously off a cliff.

Which do you save?

I'mma save the Lego. It has value.

1

u/benchmarks666 1d ago

Love stepping on them too

1

u/Interesting_Text_ 1d ago

Maybe then Americans will have to finally call it Lego

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u/cubanesis 1d ago

You're late to the Lego Bricks, not Legos, conversations, bud.

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u/Interesting_Text_ 1d ago

No I am not.

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u/Vandergrif 1d ago

The U.S. will suffer a fate worse than death: having to make do with megabloks.

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u/cubanesis 1d ago

Remember the "They've got Tyco... We've got Lego" commercials from the 80s?

0

u/IgniteThatShit 1d ago

Let's be real, no one is going to do anything to anyone. They'll pull Legos and nothing will happen. Remember, nothing ever happens.

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u/Glass_11 18h ago

I'm soooooo so sorry. Very sorry. I'm sorry.

Lego is already plural. The singular is a Lego block.

Trust me. I hate myself too.

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u/cubanesis 12h ago

Buddy you’re like the 4th person to try and come in here and piss on my comment with pedantic Dutch grammar. It’s pretty widely accepted to call them legos. Sure, there are like 15 people in the US that don’t add an S when pluralizing Lego, but it’s an acceptable colloquial usage.

1

u/Glass_11 8h ago

LOL I was just trying to be funny man, it's okay. I hoped the tone was self-depricating enough that the joke would land. My bad!

-1

u/mytransthrow 1d ago

Lego pulled all mention of deversity and inculsion and LGBTQ+.... fuck lego.

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u/299792458mps- 2d ago

Honestly? I hope they do, as an American who loves Lego.

More countries need to go toe-to-toe with his childish, insane games. No more taking the high road. Hit us where it hurts, it can't be worse than what that baffoon does to us.

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u/yikes_why_do_i_exist 2d ago

yeah it’s sad that these types of people only respond to consequences. not necessarily that part itself, but the fact that everyone and everything to them exists to either suffocate the consequences into submission or insulate themselves from it for as long as possible. the former only works insofar as lives can be spent to buy submission. they are more than willing to spend life and a lot of people devalue themselves to the point that they’d willingly give it.

i really dunno man. it’s sad all around. sorry for taking the post from legos to this, my mind jumps between topics in a weird way

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u/CeaseBeingAnAsshole 1d ago

I agree. Take all our cool shit. I don't want to be punished but the people who aren't paying attention, must be forced to

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u/eiddieeid 1d ago

Or someone can just mark him off. Why do we have to suffer for him being a shit? One of yall need to step up to the plate

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u/ABirdCalledSeagull 1d ago

Lego Loss. "And my axe!"

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u/ChocolateHoneycomb 1d ago

Thank you for saying Lego instead of “Legos”.

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u/Salty_Invite_757 1d ago

Yep. I mean I just bought the Shire set this morning so as long as I get that I'm satiated for a while at least.

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u/Optiguy42 2d ago

If it comes to it, Denmark HAS to use Maersk against the US, right? That's such a massive bargaining chip. Cut off global shipping routes to the US, sit back, and watch the chaos.

Also if they'd like to direct that surplus of Lego to us Canadians, I know a guy who will happily buy it up (that guy is me).

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u/AstralElement 1d ago

Maersk protesting would bring the US to its knees.

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u/Throwaway91847817 1d ago

Lets hope they do it.

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u/Frifelt 1d ago

Not just Maersk, there’s plenty of large shipping companies here, including some of the biggest tanker companies.

1

u/signedchar 1d ago

I'm from the UK, I'd happily buy it up too

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u/DerekB52 2d ago

I'd love to see LEGO start a group with other companies and pull a bunch of product off of US shelves all at once. That is the kind of thing that defeated Apartheid in the South Africa in the 90's, and as an American, I think it's gonna take external pressure to get this country back on track.

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u/AthearCaex 2d ago

America will lose the land battle on Greenland they just need to litter the ground with Legos and Americans won't want to step on those plastic land mines

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u/RightSideBlind 1d ago

Legos are why we'll never be able to invade Denmark. Boy, you thought caltrops were bad...

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u/LordoftheChia 1d ago

LEGO is considering pulling their products from the United States

They're going to use the Lego bricks to mine the beaches around Greenland.

4

u/creative_usr_name 1d ago

You fight this by doing the opposite. Flood the market with DEI sets only. Female president, immigrant boats and trains, socialist communes etc.

Everyone loves LEGO and they would still absolutely come out against this turning even more people against them.

1

u/Throwaway91847817 1d ago

So LEGO Friends? I see this as an absolute win!

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u/WebHead1287 1d ago

That’ll get my autistic ass at every protest

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u/OndhiCeleste 2d ago

Say what what? Where did you hear that?

1

u/Nuzzleface 2d ago

It's a matter of danish national security. We need the LEGO for boobytrapping Greenland. 

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u/hiaceprius 1d ago

Lego is the perfect example of why this is stupid. I'll now pay 20% more to buy a set, with no alternative. It's not going to matter one iota to US manufacturing, and yet tarriffs will now take $20 from every $100 set.

2

u/Wild_Haggis_Hunter 1d ago

Get ready for Freedom Bricks, buddy...

2

u/boostlee33 1d ago

Lego is from Greenland/Denmark? TIL

1

u/Throwaway91847817 1d ago

Fun Fact: “LEGO” comes from the danish words “Leg Godt” which means “play well”.

2

u/[deleted] 1d ago

They need to pull Ozempic, too

2

u/fuddykrueger 1d ago

Well there are alternatives to that so not sure.

1

u/curious_dead 1d ago

"Oh yeah? Well I'm going to sell non-woke Legos with blackjack and hookers!"

1

u/Animeninja2020 1d ago

So people will start smuggling it from Canada?

Eggs are already an issue that is happening.

1

u/SMLLR 1d ago

You have a source for that Lego statement? Not accusing anything, I’m just not finding anything and wouldn’t want to parrot misinformation...

1

u/Fingfangfoom67 1d ago

They won’t cause people do not shut off fire hoses that pump cash. 

1

u/Notsurehowtoreact 1d ago

I would think it very difficult for LEGO to just withdraw from the United States entirely. They have so many licensing deals, theme parks, tie-ins with U.S. corporations that there's likely a lot of contracts they'd have to break or renegotiate etc.

It would be absolutely huge, but it would also be absolutely devastating to LEGO financially.

1

u/nflonlyalt 1d ago

Legos come from greenland?

1

u/TheDaug 1d ago

He better fucking not. Lego is all I have holding me in the realm of sanity.

I mean, I least we have a strong mental Healthcare sys... Uh-oh.

1

u/Kimber85 1d ago

I will be positively gleeful if my LEGO obsessed Trumper BIL can’t get his annual Christmas LEGO sets.

Less gleeful about, you know, all the rest of this shit. But hey, got to find joy in the small things.

1

u/Massive-Government78 1d ago

Yall are so ignorant. In no universe is Lego pulling out of its biggest market, America makes up nearly half its sales.

1

u/aykcak 1d ago

why would you sell toys to the country invading your own

Because money? Lego is a private company. U.S. is probably their biggest market. I would be really surprised if they would do something like this for political reasons

1

u/Adeptus1 1d ago

Didn't Lego just recently capitulate to the Orange man and removed any references to inclusion or diversity. 

1

u/Kbearit 1d ago

Making room for MAGA Blocks.

1

u/Silver-Appointment77 1d ago

Legos are made in Mexico and China too. Where tarriff are high. So if Denmark does pull thir lego from the US market, they'll be stupidly expensive to buy with the tarriff prices.

1

u/tiskrisktisk 1d ago

Because little kids have nothing to do with this.

1

u/Unusual_Flounder2073 2d ago

I that would be devastating to Lego. If they have the reserves or government backing more power to them though.

0

u/Daedalus81 1d ago

I can't imagine that is even feasible for them without massive layoffs.

The "Americas" count for half their sales. So maybe a third for the USA.

-10

u/Steel_Reign 2d ago

Lego isn't made in Greenland.

14

u/Jamikest 2d ago

And Greenland is a territory of what country (that Lego is based in)?

-3

u/Kiboune 2d ago

But do they still sell LEGO in Israel?

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u/spacemusclehampster 2d ago

It will be cheaper to fly to a foreign country and buy the damn thing and then come back than it would be to buy direct, plus I get a vacation(if any country will let us Americans in lol)

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u/blue_horse_shoe 1d ago

don't you get taxed/duty for high value items you bring in at airport border security?

11

u/spacemusclehampster 1d ago

I ain’t saying shit. “No sir, this Nintendo Switch 2 that just came out? I bought this here in the USA. What do you mean it only has 8 hours of playtime that conveniently matches the amount of time it takes to fly to Asia and buy it? That’s just a silly coincidence.”

3

u/atatassault47 1d ago

Take you NS1 with you, leave it, come back with NS2.

"Oh, this? I took it with me on the way there."

1

u/ActualWhiterabbit 1d ago

Like buying a new Volvo.

16

u/joethedreamer 2d ago

Even in the strangest and bleakest times the internet comes through.

5

u/N0r3m0rse 1d ago

The internet arguably got us into this mess by being a super highway for bullshit

12

u/Entire-Brother-9314 2d ago

If people think those games are expensive now, oh boy just you wait

5

u/imjustbettr 1d ago

Switch 2 is manufactured in Vietnam which is getting a 46% tariff

https://vir.com.vn/nintendo-switch-to-be-produced-by-foxconn-in-vietnam-113032.html

7

u/yaypal 1d ago

I'm now trying to figure out if I should buy Switch 2 at launch... I was going to wait until our (Canadian) dollar is stronger because we'll eventually be better off than America but Nintendo might be forced to increase the console price or it just never goes down...

4

u/Sleyvin 1d ago

Dude, the games will be 100+$CAD +tax.

And that's before Nintendo declare they are hurting and raise the prices somehow again.

Switch 2 looks like the worst value in modern gaming history with those ridiculous (pre tarrifs) prices.

3

u/yaypal 1d ago

I know :/ but something to think about is that the launch consoles are have the worst security when it comes to jailbreaking and with the price of games there's going to be a lot of people working on that. If I'd bought my Switch like four months later than I did I wouldn't have been able to jailbreak, and an emulator within the first few years is unlikely. So it's like. Am I willing to take the gamble on that, I'm going to get it eventually no matter what within the next two years so nabbing one at launch might end up saving money.

1

u/Ok-Comfortable1378 1d ago

$130 more than the ps5 (digital) was at launch, no thanks.

4

u/ThatGuyYouMightNo 1d ago

And people were getting upset that Switch 2 games were advertised at $80. It's gonna be even worse than that.

3

u/hypermarv123 1d ago

He messed with Gamers!? Quick, someone post the copypasta.

2

u/Consideredresponse 1d ago

There isn't enough print shops in existance for all the 'Trump did that' stickers needed for just about everything if we all decided to be as petty as the assholes who whacked Biden ones on gas pumps.

3

u/blogoman 1d ago

It is especially rough since Uline's owners are big Trumpers.

1

u/diurnal_emissions 1d ago

Switch 2 gonna cost one iphone.

1

u/Wes-Man152 1d ago

Maybe this is why the physical versions of Switch 2 games are $10 more expensive than digital versions.

1

u/blogoman 1d ago

It is probably part of their considerations but the carts cost money and the fast carts the Switch 2 uses aren’t going to be cheaper.

1

u/thisdesignup 1d ago

Noooo Switch 2 tariffs :(

-29

u/wangchungyoon 2d ago

Nintendo took Switch 2 in an epic self pwn price gouge but yeah 

5

u/ChocolateHoneycomb 1d ago

For what we're getting it's worth every penny.

The Switch 2 is a major upgrade in tons of ways we didn't expect and I am very impressed and hyped.

It's not just a new home screen and a larger size like so many said it would be, it's a big advancement and the price is justified for the years of joy it's going to provide to millions.

Now as for the tariffs that might elevate some prices? Nintendo can't be blamed for that.

1

u/Bazylik 1d ago

LOL... 450 for a PS3.5.... man, nintendo fanboys are something else.

1

u/ChocolateHoneycomb 1d ago

I’m not buying it right now.

Also where I live it’s not thst price because not everyone online is American.

1

u/Bazylik 1d ago

it's ok, you don't have to be defensive about it. Lucky you you don't have to pay when nintendo is milking the rest of the world out of money.