Nintendo Wants to Prevent Scalping With Switch 2

 

Nintendo has expressed its commitment to tackling scalping issues with its upcoming console, widely speculated to be the Switch 2. Although Nintendo has been tight-lipped about the specifics of the new hardware, it is anticipated to be unveiled sometime in 2024. During a recent discussion with shareholders, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa responded to concerns about potential high resale prices for the console. Furukawa stated that Nintendo is already exploring strategies to reduce scalping, primarily by ensuring an adequate supply to meet initial customer demand.

"When it comes to addressing resale concerns during the launch of new hardware, we understand that the most crucial aspect is to produce and ship enough units to satisfy customer demand," Furukawa explained in response to the inquiry. "Following that, we will assess if there are any additional measures we can implement."

Nintendo's focus on mitigating the resale market's impact on its Switch successor is likely influenced by the challenges faced by the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launches in 2020. The scarcity of these consoles led to resellers attempting to profit by selling them at significantly inflated prices. While resellers will always exist, Nintendo believes that minimizing shortages during the initial release of its next console will prevent the second-hand market from inflating to the same extent observed with the PS5 and Xbox Series X.