Nintendo faces lawsuit from gamers seeking refunds on tariffs

Two individuals have initiated a class-action suit against Nintendo, claiming the company is poised to gain financially by increasing product costs while also attempting to recoup tariffs from the US government.

Recently, Nintendo of America brought legal action against the US authorities, disputing what it describes as "unlawful trade measures" enacted the previous year. The company has requested the US Court of International Trade to reimburse the tariffs it paid, along with interest, since their inception.

The company accused US governmental bodies of imposing over $200 billion in tariffs on imports from almost all international sources.

As reported by Game File, a recent court document alleges that if Nintendo recoups these tariff expenses, it would result in "unjust enrichment" and contravene consumer protection statutes in Washington state.

According to the lawsuit, Nintendo may end up receiving tariff payments twice — initially from customers through escalated pricing, and subsequently from the federal government via tariff rebates that would include interest.

The lawsuit was filed in Washington on behalf of Gregory Hoffert of California and Washington resident Prashant Sharan, representing US consumers who bought Nintendo products impacted by tariffs between February 1 and February 24, 2026.

GamesIndustry.biz has contacted Nintendo of America for their perspective on the matter.

Nintendo is not alone in this legal endeavor; over 1,000 companies, including FedEx and Costco, have filed similar suits against the US government concerning tariffs.

These legal challenges emerged after the Supreme Court invalidated the bulk of the global tariffs previously instituted by then-President Donald Trump. The US-imposed tariffs were enforced in April as Nintendo geared up for the June launch of the Switch 2. Despite a postponement of pre-orders from April 9 to April 24 in the US, the product's release proceeded on schedule.