Square Enix Pauses Merchandise Pre-Orders Due to Trump Administration Tariff Uncertainties

Square Enix has temporarily suspended pre-orders for select merchandise items on its North American online store, citing ongoing uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy and tariffs implemented under President Trump’s administration. The pause affects customers across both the United States and Canada.

Square Enix enacted the merchandise pre-order freeze on April 9, the same day the temporary suspension was announced. In a notice on its U.S. storefront, the company stated:

“In light of ongoing international tariff uncertainties, we have decided to temporarily pause some new merchandise pre-orders.”

However, the freeze currently affects merchandise items only, not video games. As of April 16, approximately 181 merchandise products remain available for pre-order, while others have been temporarily removed from the storefront.

Square Enix has not provided a specific timeline for when pre-orders will resume. However, given that the three-month tariff pause is scheduled to end in mid-July 2025, the company may wait until that time to reassess the situation—particularly as the future of Japanese import tariffs remains uncertain.

Square Enix isn’t the only gaming company impacted. Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S. have also experienced delays, largely due to similar concerns around tariffs and shipping logistics. While an official pre-order date has now been confirmed to start from April 24, it comes with a price adjustment on accessories.

Square Enix is set to support the Switch 2 with a launch title, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, and has confirmed that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will be ported to the system at a later date.