Nintendo’s highly anticipated Switch 2 pre-orders went live in the United States at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 24. The first round of pre-orders was delayed, due in part to tariffs on Chinese imports instituted by the previous President Trump’s administration. Set to be released on June 5, the Switch 2 retails at $450.
We’re not even an hour into live pre-orders, and already eBay listings for the Switch 2 were flooding in. Kotaku reported that nearly 30 different listings were available by 1:10 a.m. EST, with prices soaring to over $700. This sudden increase of listings is a testament to an ongoing issue within the gaming industry. Predatory scalpers are out in full force, buying up items to resell them at drastically raised prices.
Scalpers are promoting their listings by promising potential buyers updates regarding shipping and tracking information ahead of the Switch 2’s official launch. Even with these promises in place, experts and fans alike urge consumers to be wary of buying marked up pre-orders off eBay. Indeed, concerns over the reliability of these listings have been steadily rising. That’s particularly interesting given that official pre-orders are still available via Nintendo’s My Nintendo Japan service.
Switch 2 pre-orders went live in Japan, letting eager fans reserve their consoles early. This expansion is well-timed with the popular new summer blockbuster release. Indeed, that pre-order timeline would have begun much earlier. At this point it’s created extreme demand among gamers and fueled the secondary market.
Nintendo’s decision to price the Switch 2 at $450 has prompted speculation regarding its features and capabilities, which remain closely guarded until the official launch. As the gaming community anticipates further details about the console, the early eBay listings serve as a reminder of the challenges in securing popular products amid limited supply.