If you've been following the news, you probably know that the Switch 2 is selling incredibly well in Japan. In fact, it's selling so well that there have been fairly strict restrictions on who can buy one. Until just two weeks ago, only those with a Nintendo account showing 50 hours of playtime could purchase a unit through the My Nintendo Store.
But... just over a year after its release, scalpers are apparently still a problem, and now Nintendo has announced that it's reinstating the restrictions. On social media, they write:
"Regarding sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 (multilingual version) from the Nintendo Store, we have detected several orders suspected of hoarding, which has led us to temporarily suspend sales. To ensure we can deliver the product to more customers in the future, we will limit sales to customers who meet the conditions below. We ask for your understanding in this matter.
"There are no changes to the terms of purchase for the Nintendo Switch 2 (Japanese version, for the domestic market only).
<Purchase Conditions for Nintendo Switch 2 (Multilingual Version)>
- You must have played Nintendo Switch for at least 50 hours by 11:59 PM on May 31, 2026 (Sunday).
- This excludes demo versions and free software.
- You may purchase a maximum of one unit per Nintendo Account.
"For more information on the purchase terms for each unit, please see the Nintendo Store."
And so, the restrictions are back in place. Just over a year after the Switch 2 launch, Nintendo is thus forced to resort to such measures, which is both tragic (scalpers are a scourge) and fascinating (that demand is so enormous that it's necessary).
