As Nintendo’s next console gets closer to launch, the company has a simple strategy to prevent scalpers selling hardware at inflated prices.
The latest gaming consoles have encountered some sort of shortage problem upon launch, most famously when a global shortage of chips during the pandemic affected the amount of PlayStation 5s available in 2020.
The lack of supply and increased demand is fertile ground for scalpers who buy consoles in bulk and sell them at inflated prices to take advantage of the situation.
While the original Switch suffered from limited supply when it launched in 2017, Nintendo said that should be less of an issue for its next console.
During a Q&A with investors, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa outlined how they have a simple “countermeasure” to prevent scalpers: make more consoles.
‘As a countermeasure against reselling, we believe the most important thing is to produce enough to meet customer demand, and this idea has not changed since last year,’ said Furukawa (translated by IGN).
“In addition, we are considering whether there are any other measures that can be taken to the extent permitted by laws and regulations, taking into account the circumstances of each region.”
Furukawa explains that the component shortage issue that affected the production of Switch consoles for the past two years has now been “resolved” – so it shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to the company’s next piece of hardware.
“Although we were unable to produce enough Nintendo Switch hardware last year and the year before due to a shortage of semiconductor components, this situation has now been resolved,” he added. “At this time, we do not believe that the component shortage will have a significant impact on the production of the successor model.”
Other than the fact that it exists, we still don’t know anything official about Nintendo’s next console. Nintendo has announced that it will announce a Switch sequel “this fiscal year,” so sometime before March 31, 2025.
Earlier this year, reports claimed that the console was internally delayed from late 2024 to next year in order to bolster its software lineup. Although subsequent rumors suggest that the plan was always for 2025.
As for details on the machine itself, rumors have suggested that it will be an “iterative” improvement on the original Switch, possibly with magnetic Joy-Cons and backwards compatibility.
While many expected this to be a quiet year for the Switch, Nintendo is surprisingly busy for the rest of 2024, with The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree and Mario & Luigi: Brothership – further hinting. that there was no delay.
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