Nintendo has a cunning plan to beat the inevitable Switch 2 scalpers – make an absolute buttload of consoles

Nintendo has detailed its strategy to prevent scalping from affecting the successor of the Switch as severely as it did with the original console’s launch. The main approach is to increase production of the consoles, which should be more achievable now that the company has resolved some component supply issues.

For those who may not be familiar with the situation at the Switch’s launch, the console faced high demand in major markets, leading to a shortage in supply. This created an opportunity for scalpers to buy up consoles in bulk and resell them at inflated prices. By ramping up production and addressing issues like the 2021 onward COVID chip shortages, Nintendo aims to produce enough consoles to eliminate the scalping market.

In a recent investor Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa emphasized the importance of producing a sufficient number of consoles to meet customer demand as a countermeasure against resale. He also mentioned exploring additional measures within legal boundaries to address regional circumstances. Furukawa reassured that the component shortage issues that impacted Switch production in previous years have been resolved, minimizing the impact on the successor model’s production.

We hope this approach will effectively address the scalping issue. The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is highly anticipated to make a significant impact in the industry following the success of the original Nintendo Switch, which has maintained strong sales since its release in 2017. The market performance of the Switch 2, especially in comparison to its predecessor, is a key question as we look ahead to 2025.