Switch 2 Scalpers Are Auctioning Off Their Preorders to the Highest Bidder

Nintendo’s Switch 2 launch is underway worldwide. The console officially releases June 5, meaning buyers in territories in earlier time zones have already gotten their hands on it. As midnight rolls across North America, players here will do the same. Many fans preordered their Switch 2, allowing them to skip the in-person lines planned for midnight sales at retail stores. Others are currently bidding on consoles being sold by scalpers.

Sellers on sites like eBay and Mercari have created their own ecosystem of preorder sales, capitalizing on fears that the ongoing tariff drama and possible stock shortages will make the Switch 2 scarce. The console, which retails at $450, is selling for several hundred dollars more on the resale sites. One listing, which promises to ship June 6, is selling for $849 or “best offer.” Other listings are actively being bid on. On Mercari, consoles are selling in the $600 range and above.

There are good reasons for people to be anxious. Nintendo has a history of supply shortages, including with the Switch 2’s predecessor; in Japan, the company has already warned customers that demand may exceed supply. Nintendo prepared for the possibility of scalping ahead of the game console’s preorder period; buyers who wanted a unit directly from their stores could only purchase one system per account and had to meet specific requirements, including 50 hours of playtime on their Switch account.

Buyers who wanted to snatch more than one Switch could still place multiple orders through other retailers, like Amazon or Walmart. According to online message boards, some did; others confessed to buying from scalpers after failing to find their own. “I have no shame,” wrote a user on the GameFaqs forum. “Roughly 700.00 [USD]. Including priority air next day shipping … no Mario Kart bundle. I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Reached by WIRED, Nintendo would not immediately comment. Earlier this month, the company announced that it would be working with Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, Yahoo Fleamarket, and Rakuten Rakuma to remove listings and ban users—but only in Japan. Crackdowns on the resale sites will begin June 5 as part of a probationary period. It’s unclear if these measures will be implemented in other regions.

The global market may also yet have a part to play. Nintendo made the unprecedented move of temporarily delaying preorders after the console’s in-person unveiling, following extreme tariff announcements made by President Donald Trump. Although the price of the console itself hasn’t been impacted—for now—many accessories are now more expensive than previously announced. As even older game consoles grow more expensive, it’s not impossible that the Switch 2’s price will increase after launch.

Still, buyers turning to secondhand sellers may be left Switchless after all, due to preorder delays and cancellations. Earlier this week, some retailers were reportedly canceling preorders due to system errors or stock shortages.