Japan's Nintendo fans test Switch 2 ahead of launch amid tariff worries
Consumers around the world could face higher prices for electronic devices as tariffs imposed by the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on trading partners including China raise costs for companies operating global supply chains. While Trump has rolled back some tariffs, the threat of a damaging trade war still looms.
Gamers at the pre-launch event began lining up outside the Makuhari Messe convention centre near Tokyo from mid-morning to play Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bonanza, and other titles on the Switch 2. Despite the possibility of higher prices, there are early indicators of robust consumer demand for the successor to the Switch, which has sold more than 150 million units since 2017 and transformed Nintendo's fortunes.
The Kyoto-based gaming company said on Wednesday it had received 2.2 million applications in the lottery for Switch 2 in Japan and could not fulfil all the demand.
"Honestly, I didn't think I had a shot. Everyone on social media was saying they missed out, so I figured I would too," said Hyuma Hashiguchi, 28, who won the lottery to be among the first to buy the Switch 2. Nintendo is holding hands-on events around the world including in New York, Berlin and Hong Kong.
The Switch 2 will sell for 49,980 yen ($350) for a Japanese-language-only version. In the United States, Nintendo initially paused pre-orders due to tariff concerns but later said it would maintain pricing at $449.99. ($1 = 143.6700 yen)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
New York, Michigan, Iowa...: Is Trump getting desperate to shape US midterms that are due in 2026?
Donald Trump is steering key Republicans away from statewide races to protect the GOP's narrow House majority in 2026 read more As the political calendar turns its attention toward the 2026 US midterm elections, President Donald Trump appears to be exerting increasingly overt control over Republican congressional strategy. In recent weeks, Trump has played a decisive role in shaping GOP candidacies across battleground states like New York, Michigan and Iowa. While his supporters hail this as party discipline in action, many view it as a calculated and possibly desperate attempt to prevent another electoral debacle like the 2018 House flip. The question now looms: is Trump consolidating power or compensating for vulnerability? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Keeping the House at all costs At the core of Trump's strategy is a single, obsessive goal: protecting the GOP's razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans control the chamber by only a handful of seats, a fact not lost on the president. According to reporting by NBC News, Trump has been personally intervening to dissuade vulnerable House Republicans from seeking higher office, thereby keeping reliable incumbents in place. The Associated Press quoted Trump campaign sources as saying that the move marks a departure from earlier cycles where Trump often endorsed insurgent Senate candidates without much concern for broader party dynamics. Now, the emphasis is on unity and incumbency especially in marginal districts. New York: Lawler stays put, Stefanik in waiting One of the clearest examples of this effort unfolded in New York. Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents a swing district in the Hudson Valley that former vice president Kamala Harris won in 2024, recently confirmed he would not challenge Governor Kathy Hochul for the state's top job. While Lawler stressed the decision was his alone, he acknowledged that Trump had 'offered his perspective' during a private meeting. Lawler's re-election campaign was endorsed by Trump in May—an early signal that the president wanted him to stay in the House. Republican strategists see Lawler's decision as critical to retaining the seat in a high-stakes midterm. Meanwhile, this move potentially clears the gubernatorial path for Representative Elise Stefanik, a staunch Trump ally whose name was floated after her nomination to the United Nations ambassadorship was withdrawn. Stefanik has indicated she will reveal her intentions after this fall's elections. As reported by NBC News, her possible candidacy highlights Trump's willingness to elevate allies from safer districts while reinforcing GOP infrastructure where it's most needed. Michigan: Avoiding a GOP civil war Trump's influence is equally visible in Michigan, where Congressman Bill Huizenga opted out of a Senate run after meeting with the president at the White House. The Associated Press revealed that Trump's priority was keeping Huizenga in the House to secure his west Michigan seat, rated 'likely Republican' by the Cook Political Report. Huizenga's exit from the Senate race effectively clears the way for former Congressman Mike Rogers, a Trump-friendly figure who has staffed his campaign with former Trump aides. Though Trump has not yet formally endorsed Rogers, insiders expect that move soon. While Huizenga has not officially announced a re-election bid, GOP operatives suggest his decision—shaped directly by Trump—is part of a broader strategy to avoid intra-party conflict in swing states and to maximise resources toward winnable districts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iowa: Nunn bows to Trump's midterm playbook In Iowa, Representative Zach Nunn had been considering a run for governor following Governor Kim Reynolds' decision not to seek re-election. However, after a conversation with Trump, Nunn chose to remain in the House. The district he represents is a Democratic target in 2026, having been won by only four points in the last cycle. Trump's endorsement of Nunn's re-election was quick and emphatic, with sources describing the congressman as a 'team player.' According to NBC News, this move is emblematic of Trump's new playbook which is of convincing lawmakers in contested districts that the national interest of the party outweighs individual ambitions. Representative Randy Feenstra, who holds a safer seat, is now among those considering a gubernatorial run. This supports the notion that Trump is willing to let GOP members seek higher office only when their departure doesn't threaten House control. A calculated silence in the Senate Interestingly, while Trump is taking a hands-on approach with House races, he has remained relatively circumspect when it comes to open Senate contests. In states like Georgia and North Carolina, Trump has not yet waded into contentious primaries. Political observers interpret this as a deliberate contrast to his previous, often chaotic, endorsement patterns. That said, former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is widely expected to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Thom Tillis. This could create a high-stakes showdown that may yet draw Trump's attention. For now, his priority appears to be ensuring a stable, loyal and electorally viable House majority. Trump's direct involvement has not gone unnoticed. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama told The Hill that Trump now commands more influence over the Republican Party than any president he's ever seen. Tuberville also issued a warning to dissenters, stating that GOP lawmakers who refuse to align with Trump should prepare to face primary challenges. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, not all Republicans are falling in line. Michigan's Representative John James has chosen to run for governor, a decision that reportedly displeased Trump. During a recent event, Trump jokingly suggested that James shouldn't be allowed to run unless his House seat could be adequately filled. Such moments illustrate the limits of Trump's control—even as most GOP lawmakers seem to heed his directives. As Lawler candidly put it in a media appearance, while Trump's opinion was valuable, 'I didn't get here by doing as told.' Desperation or discipline? Democrats, unsurprisingly, interpret these moves through a lens of weakness. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries framed Trump's interventions as coercion, saying that Republicans are being 'ordered' to stay in place because of their grim electoral prospects. Still, it's hard to ignore the effectiveness of Trump's manoeuvres. He's minimising damaging primaries, bolstering vulnerable districts and testing a more disciplined version of his political machine. This could either be the product of maturity in strategy or of nervous anticipation about what's at stake if the GOP fails to hold the House again. If Trump's campaign is marked by calculation rather than chaos in 2026, it may not be desperation at all but rather a serious, if ruthless, effort to ensure that history does not repeat itself. Whether that's enough to counteract traditional midterm losses remains to be seen. What's clear is that Trump intends to leave nothing to chance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trump calls Tulsi Gabbard ‘hottest in the room'. It has a Obama connection
US President Donald Trump called Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard 'the hottest' during a reception with Republican lawmakers at the White House on Tuesday. The remark came a day after Gabbard filed a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ), accusing former President Barack Obama and his top intelligence officials of a 'treasonous conspiracy' to undermine Trump's 2016 election victory. 'She's like, hotter than everybody. She's the hottest one in the room right now,' Trump said. Turning to House Speaker Mike Johnson, he added, 'Speaker, she's hotter than you right now, speaker. She's the hottest person in the room right now, speaker.' Trump also praised Gabbard's move to hold the Obama-era officials accountable, saying, '[Gabbard] found out that Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people and they cheated in the elections and they cheated without question. She has all the documents, she has everything that you need. You've found things that nobody thought we'd ever find. Very happy and very honoured to have you with us. We're very proud of you, Tulsi.' 🚨President Trump: 'Where's Tulsi? She's the hottest one on the room right now, because she found out with certainty…Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people, they cheated without question!' — Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) July 23, 2025 The report, which was recently made public, claims to uncover Obama-era communications that show attempts to manipulate the outcome of the 2016 elections. It points that there was no tampering with vote totals, but implies that the lack of direct interference undermines broader findings of Russian involvement with conclusions that several bipartisan investigations have upheld. Trump praised Gabbard's revelations, stating, 'Tulsi, great job, and I know you have a lot more coming.' He also renewed his accusations against former President Obama, calling the effort to tie him to Russia a 'treasonous conspiracy' aimed at sabotaging his 2016 campaign. The report claims the Obama administration's intelligence figures manufactured the narrative that Trump had colluded with Russia, describing it as the 'groundwork' for a years-long coup attempt against the Trump presidency. However, between 2019 and 2023, four independent watchdog investigations confirmed that Russia did interfere in the 2016 election. Trump, throughout his presidency, dismissed those findings as a 'hoax.' Responding to the renewed claims, Obama's spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush issued a rare statement: 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.'
Hans India
21 minutes ago
- Hans India
Trump Legalizes Crypto Investing – Why Capitalists Are Quietly Choosing BTC Miner's Cloud Mining with Up to 7% Daily Returns
July 18, 2025 – In a historic move, former U.S. President Donald Trump officially signed the GENIUS Act, America's first comprehensive crypto legislation, giving institutional investors—including $9 trillion in pension funds—the green light to legally invest in cryptocurrencies. As Wall Street gears up to enter the crypto market, smart capitalists are quietly moving into a hidden opportunity: BTC Miner cloud mining. While the public chases volatile Bitcoin and Ethereum prices, insiders are choosing a stable, high-return alternative: automated cloud mining. What Is BTC Miner? BTC Miner is a global cloud mining platform that lets anyone mine Bitcoin remotely—without owning expensive mining rigs or paying massive electricity bills. Investors simply select a hash-power contract, and BTC Miner handles everything through its AI-managed mining network powered by renewable energy. Daily returns up to 7% $500 free mining trial for new users No hardware, no maintenance, zero hassle Earnings paid daily in USD equivalents Funds safely stored in Tier-1 banks, insured by AIG BTC Miner transforms crypto mining into a simple, automated, and profitable process for everyone. Why Capitalists Are Secretly Joining BTC Miner Trump's new crypto law has opened the gates for institutional investors, but sophisticated players aren't relying solely on risky token investments. Instead, they're embracing BTC Miner cloud mining for one reason: stability. Predictable Daily Returns : Earn up to 7% daily, independent of market volatility. : Earn up to 7% daily, independent of market volatility. AI-Managed Efficiency : BTC Miner uses intelligent load balancing to maximize mining profitability. : BTC Miner uses intelligent load balancing to maximize mining profitability. ESG Compliance : Powered by green energy to meet institutional sustainability standards. : Powered by green energy to meet institutional sustainability standards. Top-Level Fund Security : Clients' funds are securely stored in Tier-1 banks, and their personal information is protected by SSL encryption. Every investment is protected by an AIG insurance policy, adding another layer of safety. : Clients' funds are securely stored in Tier-1 banks, and their personal information is protected by SSL encryption. Every investment is protected by an AIG insurance policy, adding another layer of safety. Fully Regulated & Transparent: BTC Miner operates licensed mining farms with strict asset protection. In short, BTC Miner delivers what institutional capital demands: stable, secure, and scalable profits in crypto. Investors Speak – Real BTC Miner User Feedback 'I'm earning daily profits without having to sell my Bitcoin.' — James K., Investor from Texas 'Started with the $500 trial and saw real profits within days. Zero risk, pure rewards.' — Anna S., User from Germany 'Instant withdrawals, stable payouts. BTC Miner is how I generate passive crypto income.' — Wei L., Business owner from Singapore BTC Miner is building a strong reputation worldwide as the go-to choice for safe, profitable crypto investing. How to Join BTC Miner and Start Earning Crypto Easily Sign up: Go to and create a free account. Claim $500 Free Trial: New users automatically receive $500 in mining credits. Choose a Mining Plan: Select short or long-term hash-power contracts. Sit Back and Earn: BTC Miner handles everything. Daily returns are automatic. Withdraw Anytime: Profits are paid daily and can be withdrawn instantly. Referral Program: Invite friends and earn 7% from their mining profits and 2% from indirect referrals. Build your own mining network and grow your passive income. The Smart Money Has Already Moved With Trump's crypto-friendly law in place and billions of institutional dollars entering the market, cloud mining is the next frontier. BTC Miner offers a secure, stable, and fully automated way to grow wealth without chasing volatile token prices. Stop trading. Start mining. Let BTC Miner work for you 24/7. 👉 Join now at claim your $500 free trial, and start earning up to 7% daily.
