Nintendo cracks down on Switch 2 scalpers by introducing playtime requirements in Japan

Nintendo has been trying to deal with Switch 2 scalpers who have been buying up entire stocks and flipping the company’s handheld device well above retail. Now, the situation has intensified, and Nintendo is implementing a new purchasing policy for the Nintendo Switch 2 to curb scalping overall.

Opportunistic scalpers would typically purchase the console through the official Nintendo Store in Japan because the weaker yen makes it much cheaper to import the console than to buy it in other regions. Under the new rules, however, scalpers are now largely barred from buying additional consoles.

In Japan, if you’re looking to buy a multi-language Nintendo Switch 2 sold via the company’s online Japanese store, your Nintendo Account must show at least 50 hours of playtime on the original Nintendo Switch by the end of May 2026.

Furthermore, those 50 hours of playtime must be spent in games that you’ve either bought or downloaded, which means playing demos or free-to-play titles on your older Nintendo Switch won’t count toward meeting the purchase requirements.

As the strongest anti-scalping measure, the multi-language Nintendo Switch 2 console will be limited to just one unit per Nintendo Account. Nintendo is also actively monitoring accounts that have placed orders and has canceled suspicious purchases that appear to be related to scalping. 

In an official statement on X, Nintendo announced (English translation below):

“Regarding the sale of the Nintendo Switch 2 (multi-language compatible) at the Nintendo Store, we identified multiple orders suspected of scalping and other such activities, so we temporarily suspended sales. Moving forward, in order to deliver the product to as many customers as possible, we will offer sales to customers who meet the following conditions. As of 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 31, 2026, the playtime on the Nintendo Switch must be 50 hours or more.

* Excluding demo software and free software 

* The number of units that can be purchased is limited to one per Nintendo Account.”

This policy does not apply to the Japan-exclusive version of the Switch 2, however, which displays only Japanese text and characters, as scalpers generally do not target it for reselling purposes. Nintendo is making this move just before raising the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 by $50 in September, bringing the standard edition to $499.99 in the United States.