Plaintiffs say Switch buyers paid higher prices while Nintendo pursued government refunds tied to those tariffs.
SEATTLE — Consumers have sued Nintendo of America, alleging the company raised prices during the federal tariff period and then sought refunds on the same import costs, according to a class-action complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Western Washington.
The lawsuit was filed by two plaintiffs, one from California and one from Seattle, on behalf of a proposed nationwide class of people who bought Nintendo products from February 2025 through February 2026, when the company is accused of passing tariff costs along to customers.
According to the lawsuit, Nintendo and other importers faced higher costs after tariffs were imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act beginning in February 2025.
The complaint says the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled on Feb. 20, 2026, that the tariff regime was unlawful, opening the door for importers that paid those duties to seek refunds.
The central claim in the case is that Nintendo passed at least some of those tariff costs on to shoppers through higher retail prices, then sought to recover the same costs from the federal government through tariff refunds.
The plaintiffs argue that would allow Nintendo to collect the same money twice unless a court steps in.
KING 5 News has reached out to Nintendo for comment.
The complaint points to several public statements and pricing moves by Nintendo during that period.
It says the company delayed Switch 2 preorders in early April 2025 to assess the effect of tariffs and market conditions, then later raised the prices of some Switch 2 accessories by about $1 to $10, including an increase in the Pro Controller from $79.99 to $84.99 and the Dock Set from $109.99 to $119.99.
The lawsuit also cites comments from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa during a May 2025 financial briefing. According to the complaint, Furukawa said tariffs were treated as part of the company’s costs and incorporated into pricing.
The complaint says Nintendo later announced additional U.S. price changes for the original Switch family and some accessories effective Aug. 3, 2025.
In a separate case, the complaint says, Nintendo filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade on March 6, 2026, challenging the legality of the tariffs and seeking refunds of duties it had paid.
The plaintiffs in the Washington case say that, because consumers allegedly already covered those costs through higher prices, any refund should not stay with Nintendo.
The proposed class would include people in the United States who bought Nintendo goods during the period in which the company allegedly raised prices.
The lawsuit seeks restitution, damages, injunctive relief and other remedies under claims that include unjust enrichment, money had and received, and alleged violations of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act.
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