- Nintendo has some requirements for access to Nintendo Switch 2 Priority Sales
- One of them is a Nintendo Switch Online -Membership
- It can be an amazing antiscalper strategy
What if you stood in line on April 8 to buy the just announced Nintendo Switch 2 and didn’t find that stock was empty until you even had a chance to hit Enter? Nintendo may have a fascinating new plan for smoothing the consumer game console’s rules of play.
The new Nintendo Switch 2 is bigger and better in almost every way than the original Nintendo Switch and even the newer OLED model. It has a larger screen, magnetic Joy-Cons, USB ports, four times storage and 4K support (when rooted). My personal favorite is support for classic gamecube games.
Although it costs $ 150 more than the last model, it’s sure to be a hot item and one that you might be struggling to get your hands on. Unless, that is, Nintendo’s unusual procurement restrictions make it harder for scaplers to pour thousands of devices and deplete what is definitely limited supply.
The requirements, as described on Nintendos how to buy FAQ page are simple:
- You must have been the one who bought the Nintendo Switch online membership
- You must have had someone paid Nintendo Switch Online -Membership for at least 12 months
- You must have chosen to share gameplay data and have at least 50 hours of total gameplay hours.
This is not “one of the above.” It’s all of them.
Based on that, I can 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 seen through prism from a reality obstacle, which means a real switch player who is eager to upgrade, it makes sense.
Combining it with a year of active membership is smart, because although it is easy to sign up for Nintendo Switch Online membership today, that will not be enough.
I can also give the last requirement some privacy side eye. After all, why should I share my gameplay data with Nintendo? Who can they share it with?
In this case, it still shows through the extra task of 50 hours of gameplay that you are serious with 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 pour as many Nintendo Switch 2 consoles as possible. They then turn around and sell them at third -party dealerships, eBay and elsewhere at a significant Markup.
These rules could make it difficult if not impossible.
When I look at it in a different way, however, I see that this is also a smart strategy for managing the supply chain. Causal buyers can be cut out of the mixture and what already seems to be a limited supply will only go to the most invested Nintendo Switch 2 buyers.
Nintendo describes the priority accessibility as going out “in batches … until buying in my Nintendo store has opened to everyone.” Who knows when it will be. It could take the whole year for Nintendo to open the buying doors.
Gaming supply and demand
Nintendo Switch was notorious limited in the supply for years and took forever to overtake his predecessor, Nintendo Wii, in sales.
If Nintendo is successful in selling mainly to real, motivated buyers, this equation can change and we could go from batches to full accessibility and get Nintendo Switch 2 surpass the original Nintendo -Switch in the sale in a short time.
Generally, I welcome this and hope we see similar loyalty programs used for PlayStation 6 and Future Xbox launches. It may not hurt to do so with Apple’s first foldable iPhone and Samsung’s first tri-fold.
Your best customers are usually associated with your brand through previous purchases and service membership (look at Apple customers and iCloud).
This is the best way to reward them and ensure that demand and supply remain in balance and that those who deserve to buy your new product get a chance to make it the original retail price.
