With Nintendo expected to release its all-new Switch 2 handheld gaming console soon, media reports have indicated that it is already available in the black market and is being sold for tens of thousands of dollars.
A recent post on Reddit has indicated that Nintendo’s next-gen console are being sold on the Chinese black market for an equivalent of A$62,700, which includes the the Switch 2 dock, Joy Cons, and tablet.
That’s a staggering price considering that the Switch 2 console when available through official channels is expected to retail for 1% of that cost at around the A$600 mark.
Nintendo Switch 2. Still from promotional video.
Australians will be able to officially get their hands on a new gaming console in May at a Switch 2 Experience event in Melbourne.
On April 2, the company will hold “Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 – 4.2.2025”, followed by a phased global rollout of the product.
Nintendo has already revealed what its Switch 2 console will look like by way of official images and videos available on its site.
The trailer showed different angles of the hybrid console which can be connected to the TV via its dock, but further details regarding its specs are still scarce.
Nintendo Switch 2. Still from promotional video.
As Nintendo gets ready to launch its latest console, its existing eight-year-old first-gen Switch console is expectedly facing weak sales as gamers wait for the new device.
Earlier this month, Nintendo revised its full-year forecast and said that it expects to sell 11 million units of the original Switch console, down from the 12.5 million previously.
It also now expects ¥280 billion (A$2.88 billion) in operating income in the fiscal year to March, shaving off more than a fifth from its prior forecast.
For the nine months ending December 31, 2024, Nintendo’s net sales were ¥956.2 billion (A$9.75 billion), down 31.4% year-on-year. Its net profit was reported to be ¥237.1 billion (A$2.4 billion), which was also a sharp 41.9% decrease year-on-year.
