Nintendo Switch 2 Resale Prices Plummet in Japan After Initial Scalper Surge

The Japanese market witnessed a dramatic shift in Nintendo Switch 2 resale prices less than 24 hours after the system’s highly anticipated launch.

Nintendo’s new console, bundled as the Mario Kart World set, initially became a target for scalpers following its official release, with scalpers rapidly listing units on prominent marketplace platforms such as Mercari.

However, new marketplace data shows that prices are falling quickly, potentially upending profits for resellers. As of June 5 at 11:00pm JST, completed sales on Mercari—one of Japan’s largest peer-to-peer e-commerce platforms—show that the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World set (Japanese-language version) has recently sold for as low as 64,800 yen, which is approximately USD 452.

This represents a steep 10,000 yen decrease from the lowest sold listing just 20 hours earlier, when units were changing hands for 75,000 yen (about USD 523).

The rapid drop is noteworthy considering the hardware’s official retail price: the Mario Kart World set is priced at 53,980 yen (nearly USD 378) by Nintendo in Japan, suggesting there is still margin for further price corrections. For scalpers, these dwindling numbers spell trouble.

After accounting for Mercari’s standard 10% transaction fee, a resale at 64,800 yen nets the seller a mere 4,340 yen (a little over USD 30), even before factoring in shipping costs.

If prices continue on this downward trend, sellers may begin to incur losses on each unit sold. Nintendo’s new hardware launch underscores the challenges facing scalpers in today’s fast-moving digital marketplaces.

The initial surge in listings and quick price correction serve as a cautionary tale about the volatility of the resale market, especially for sought-after products like the Nintendo Switch 2.

This market reaction points to more vigilant buyers and a potential oversupply driven by speculative purchasing. The Nintendo Switch 2, featuring the acclaimed Mario Kart World bundle, joins the illustrious Nintendo hardware lineup and follows the immense success of the original Nintendo Switch, which has sold more than 130 million units worldwide as of early 2024.

Nintendo’s presence on platforms like the eShop, combined with strong exclusive game releases, continues to fuel both demand and marketplace dynamics for their consoles. For those tracking gaming industry trends and hardware launches, the rapid decline in Switch 2 resale prices exemplifies how market forces and community responsiveness can quickly level the playing field, limiting opportunities for large profit margins through scalping.

As the initial post-launch volatility settles, it remains to be seen how the Japanese resale landscape will evolve for Nintendo’s latest console.

Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart Nintendo Switch Mario Kart World Nintendo Mario Japan Switch 2 Switch Kart Mario Kart World set Japanese marketplace Mercari