Will the Nintendo Switch 2 have scalper protection?

Nintendo has finally announced the Switch 2 and all eyes are firmly fixed on the release of the new console. With excitement levels rising, the concerns about scalpers are, too—but Nintendo has a plan.

Scalpers have caused problems in gaming in recent years, particularly following the release of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, and the rise in bots on online marketplaces that quickly sweep up stock is a major problem.

Fans will be hoping that there won’t be any shortages with the Switch 2 launch and Nintendo seems to be confident there won’t be.

Does Nintendo have scalper protection for the Switch 2?

It remains to be seen whether Nintendo or stores will enforce a purchase limit for individual buyers on the release of the Switch 2, although that doesn’t always work anyway due to bots. On the plus side, Nintendo are confident they can counteract demand.

As reported by VGC last year, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said in a Q&A during a general meeting of shareholders that the company is confident they will be able to produce sufficient amounts of the Switch 2 to meet demand.

A semiconductor shortage in recent years has affected console sales, but that is no longer an issue and Nintendo does not believe “that the shortage of components will have a significant impact on the production of the successor model,” according to Furukawa.

Other sales restrictions could still be put in place closer to the launch day but producing enough of the product will counteract any scalpers, as why would you pay over retail price for the console on a secondary market when you can just buy direct from a retailer?

While it all sounds good in theory, it remains to be seen whether Nintendo has truly made enough consoles to meet demand, or if scalpers will ruin the release for many fans, but Nintendo’s confidence on the subject is encouraging.