Nintendo's incredible plan to beat back Switch 2 scalpers might mean you finally get one
The priority sales plan for the Nintendo Switch 2 might be brilliant.
- Nintendo has some requirements for access to Nintendo Switch 2 priority sales
- One of them is a Nintendo Switch Online membership
- It might be an awesome anti-scalper strategy
What if on April 8, you queued up to buy the just fully announced Nintendo Switch 2 and didn't find that inventory was empty before you even had a chance to hit enter? Nintendo might have a fascinating new plan for leveling the consumer gaming console playing field.
The new Nintendo Switch 2 is bigger and better in almost every way than the original Nintendo Switch and even the more recent OLED model. It's got a bigger screen, magnetic Joy-Cons, USB ports, four times the storage, and 4K support (when docked). My personal favorite is support for classic GameCube games.
Even though it costs $150 more than the last model, it's sure to be a hot item and one that you might struggle to get your hands on. Unless, that is, Nintendo's unusual purchasing restrictions make it harder for scaplers to scoop up thousands of units and deplete what is sure to be limited supply.
The requirements, as outlined on Nintendo's How to Buy FAQ page, are simple:
- You must have been the one who purchased any Nintendo Switch Online membership
- You must have had any paid Nintendo Switch Online membership for a minimum of 12 months
- You must have opted in to share gameplay data and have at least 50 hours total gameplay hours.
This is not "one of the above." It's all of them.
On the face of it, I might be against the rules. Who is Nintendo to force us to pay almost $20 a year on a service membership just for the privilege of owning a Nintendo Switch 2? But when viewed through the prism of a reality hurdle, meaning a real Switch gamer who's anxious to upgrade, it makes sense.
Combining that with the one-year of active membership is smart because while it's easy to sign up for Nintendo Switch Online membership today, that won't be enough.
I might also give the last requirement some privacy side-eye. After all, why would I want to share my gameplay data with Nintendo? Who might they share it with?
Still, in this case, it shows, through the additional task of 50 hours of gameplay, that you're serious about the platform.
All of this is undoubtedly designed to separate real Switch fans from scalpers who will try to flood the zone and use countless auto-generated Nintendo IDs and virtual credit card numbers to scoop up as many Nintendo Switch 2 consoles as possible. They'll then turn around and sell them on third-party reseller sites, eBay, and elsewhere at a significant markup.
These rules could make that difficult, if not impossible.
Looking at it another way, though, I see that this is also a smart strategy for managing supply chain issues. Causal buyers may be cut out of the mix, and what already looks to be a limited supply will only go to the most invested Nintendo Switch 2 buyers.
Nintendo describes the priority availability as going out "in batches...until purchasing on My Nintendo Store is opened to everyone." Who knows when that wil be. It could take all year for Nintendo to open up the purchasing doors.
Gaming supply and demand
The Nintendo Switch was notoriously limited in supply for years and took forever to overtake its predecessor, the Nintendo Wii, in sales.
If Nintendo is successful in selling mostly to real, motivated buyers, that equation may change, and we could go from batches to full availability and have the Nintendo Switch 2 surpass the original Nintendo Switch in sales in no time.
Overall, I applaud this and hope that we see similar loyalty programs applied to the PlayStation 6 and future Xbox launches. It might not hurt to do it with Apple's first foldable iPhone and Samsung's first tri-fold either.
Your best customers are usually connected to your brand through previous purchases and service memberships (look at Apple customers and iCloud).
This is the best way to reward them and ensure that demand and supply stay in balance and that those who deserve to buy your new product get a chance to do so at the original retail price.
