Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft shares pop as the reciprocal tariff pause releases some console steam

For the first time in a week, the video game industry just stopped slamming its controller against the coffee table.

As the White House issued its 90-day reciprocal tariff pause, shares of console makers Nintendo and Sony each climbed more than 4%, while Microsoft — which admittedly has larger businesses than Xbox — rose more than 8%.

Game producers including “Grand Theft Auto” maker Take-Two, “Madden” maker Electronic Arts, and Roblox also jumped upward, reflecting some renewed optimism that gamers would continue to spend their discretionary dollars on fresh titles and season passes.

Nintendo has been experiencing whiplash since unveiling details about the Switch 2 console last week. The consoles, which are produced in China, Vietnam, and Cambodia, faced extreme US tariff exposure before the pause, leading Nintendo to delay preorders in the US and Canada. There’s still a major roadblock, though: President Trump’s boosted 125% tariff on goods from China, where millions of consoles (including about 70% of PS5s) are produced.