TOKYO: The Switch 2 is out and with it have arrived countless efforts to make money by buying and reselling Nintendo's long-awaited console to desperate gamers at a higher price amid fears of some retailers selling out.
Scalpers have been offering pre-orders and purchased units online for up to twice as much as the launch price of US$450/€470 (RM1,906) or US$499/€509 (RM2,114) with the flagship game Mark Kart World.
After prolonged shortages of Sony's PlayStation 5 in 2020 created much incentive for resellers to profit from high demand, Nintendo has sought to rule out scalping by partnering with third-party websites in an effort to remove resale listings of the Switch 2.
And yet that hasn't stopped resellers on some online marketplaces asking for prices of beyond US$800 or €800 (RM3,389) at the start of sales.
The console was out of stock on the manufacturer's My Nintendo Store on the first day of sales and stock was in doubt at some retailers where gamers queued around the block for sales launch at midnight, however in-store pick-ups do appear to be available in retailers in several markets, such as Best Buy in the US and Currys in the UK.
Price comparison websites will help you get an overview of availability at different retailers and delivery dates if you want to order online.
If you find it too tedious to keep checking for availability, many price search engines will notify you by email when a product is available again.
Demand is certainly expected to remain high after launch day on Thursday, and Nintendo says it expects to sell 15 million units of its new Switch 2 gaming console by March 2026.
Nintendo had to briefly delay pre-orders for the Switch 2 in the important US market due to import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
The Japanese company was uncertain whether it would need to adjust the price. In the end, the price of the Switch 2 remained unchanged at US$450 (RM1,906), but Nintendo increased the price of some accessories in the US.
The new Switch brings a slightly larger format than its predecessor, with the LCD screen measuring 7.9 inches diagonally. In handheld mode, the LCD screen offers Full HD (1080p) resolution and displays up to 120 frames per second (fps). HDR, ray tracing and DLSS are also supported.
The Joy-Con 2 controllers are also slightly larger. They no longer slide into a rail on the side of the device but instead attach magnetically to the Switch. – dpa
