Nintendo had high expectations for the global debut of what’s being called the Nintendo Switch 2, but it seems that the rollout hasn’t gone as smoothly as they’d hoped.
Rapidly, scalpers have snatched up gaming consoles both in Japan and North America, reselling them at double their original price, thus creating a challenge for genuine enthusiasts to secure one.
How Bad Is the Situation in Japan?
Within minutes of launch in Japan, Mercari and Rakuma saw a massive surge of listings.
Multiple gaming consoles were quickly bought up by resellers in Japan, even before many shoppers had woken up. Known as a “Scalping King”, an individual claimed responsibility for shipping numerous devices ahead of schedule, and some were already sold weeks prior to the official release date.
Typically, the Mario Kart World set is priced around $378 (approximately ¥54,000), but it has been significantly increased to nearly $595 (around ¥85,000). In fact, even the standard version of the console was being resold for at least $100 more than its original price.
What’s Going On in the U.S. and Other Regions?
Customers living overseas began receiving their Nintendo Switch 2 systems on June 5, whereas American consumers had to wait until midnight for in-store releases.
Before any queues had even started, eBay and Mercari were brimming with items for sale. Some vendors set prices as high as $849, almost doubling the original $450 cost, in anticipation of making a profit from concerns about scarce stock and slow replenishments.
These expensive items were quickly snapped up by enthusiasts, many of whom had their preorders canceled or experienced checkout difficulties.
Didn’t Nintendo Try to Prevent This?
To prevent resellers from buying multiple consoles, Nintendo’s official store implemented a rule that limits each account to purchasing only one console, and also mandates that customers must possess a pre-existing Nintendo account showing previous gameplay history.
On the other hand, unlike regular sellers, third-party vendors such as Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy weren’t subject to these restrictions. Unscrupulous individuals known as scalpers took advantage of this by purchasing numerous consoles from different retailers and then reselling them at a higher price close to the console’s launch, profiting greatly from this practice.
Why Are Fans Still Buying from Scalpers?
Unfortunately, those who had pre-ordered from retailers experienced unexpected cancellations due to technical glitches and inventory problems.
Demand shot up while availability dropped, pushing many to buy from scalpers reluctantly.
Online communities buzz with users sharing their experiences of spending significantly extra money to ensure they didn’t miss a chance at something. The company is collaborating with prominent marketplaces in Japan to remove any misleading or fraudulent listings.
In simpler terms, they don’t allow individuals who consistently violate the rules, but this regulation isn’t universally applied yet. Unfortunately, ticket reselling (scalping) remains rampant not just in North America and Europe, but worldwide, without any signs of abatement.
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2025-06-05 07:12