Nintendo has a cunning plan to beat the inevitable Switch 2 scalpers - make an absolute buttload of consoles
With component shortage problems sorted, prospective hardware overchargers should be in for a bad time.
Nintendo has outlined its plans to help ensure the Switch's successor isn't affected by scalping as badly as its predecessor was at launch. The big idea - make sure it produces a lot more consoles, something that should be a lot more feasible now the company says it's resolved some component supply issues.
For those that might not have been in the market for a Switch at launch, the console was high in demand across major territories, leading to demand overshadowing supply. This was a rich feeding ground for scalpers, who bought up the consoles in bulk with plans to sell them on at inflated prices. The hope seems to be that, by bumping up production (without the worry of factors like the 2021 onward COVID chip shortages), Nintendo can produce enough consoles to make a scalping market redundant.
As translated by IGN, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the following on the matter in a recent investor Q&A: “As a countermeasure against resale, we believe that the most important thing is to produce a sufficient number to meet customer demand, and this idea has not changed since last year".
“In addition to this, we are considering whether there are any other measures that can be taken to the extent allowed by laws and regulations, taking into account the circumstances of each region.
“Although we were unable to produce sufficient quantities of Nintendo Switch hardware last year and the year before due to a shortage of semiconductor components, this situation has now been resolved. At this time, we do not believe that the shortage of components will have a significant impact on the production of the successor model.”
Fingers crossed this curbs the problem! The Nintendo Switch 2 is anticipated to rock the industry when it launches, off the back of the original Nintendo Switch - which has consistently sold well since its release in 2017 due to its unique position in the console market and a steady supply of high quality, Switch-only games. Whether or not the Switch 2 can overshadow the original Switch's sales, especially in the long haul, remains the big question leading into 2025.