- Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have kicked off in the United States
- We've spotted several eBay listings promising a Switch 2 pre-order, but they aren't what they seem
- Instead of a console, you'll get a photo of the Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are happening right now, or at least they were until supplies dried up at almost every major retailer. By now, some have headed over to eBay, where, naturally, there are markups on pre-ordered, next-gen consoles.
At least that's what they appear to be, but the truth is far more encouraging.
It's been a bit of a bumpy road for the Nintendo Switch 2. While early hands-on reports lauded the product for its bigger size, larger screen, faster processor, more storage, and refashioned Joy-Cons, some were annoyed it didn't come with an OLED screen.
Next, impending US tariffs put the pre-order process on hold, with it slipping from April 8 to today, April 24.
At least Nintendo put in the effort to manage direct sales by confining these first orders to those who have a Nintendo Switch Online membership for at least the last 12 months and those who could also prove they've played at least 50 hours on the platform.
Those efforts should have cut down the number of early buyers to a more manageable size and also shooed away scalpers. Meanwhile, other retailers like Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, and Target opened up pre-orders without those stipulations. And considering how fast supplies have drained, it's not clear scalpers still didn't do their dirty work.
At least a few enterprising eBay sellers think so. We found three separate listings that look like pre-order scalp deals. Two of them are for around $500, which is not bad, just $50 over the list price.
However, these listings include the phrase "Read Description!" and that's where you learn that you are bidding not on the actual console but on a printout of someone else's proof of a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order.
Why would eBay sellers do this? Apparently, it's a noble deed. Here's one description (the all caps are theirs):
"*THIS IS A LISTING TO PREVENT BOTS/RESELLERS ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS**You are purchasing a picture of my pre-order, and a picture of a switch two console. NOT THE ACTUAL SYSTEM AGAIN TO PREVENT BOTS AND RESELLERS*
Another one wrote, "This is a picture of a Nintendo Switch 2!! Do not buy this! If you pay for it, I will mail you a literal PICTURE of a Switch 2. This listing is to combat b*ts and sc*lpers. Be warned! No refunds, no cancellations."
It's interesting that the second one calls out bots, systems that might automate the mass purchase and then mass eBay listing of scalped items.
Does it work? Not necessarily. We had no trouble finding a $749.99 listing, which had 28 watchers at the time of writing, and that's described as a Target pre-order of a Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle.
No matter what, it's clear that it pays to read those eBay descriptions, and if you don't want to overpay for the Nintendo Switch 2, maybe wait until general sales open up next month.
And you can see TechRadar's live tracker on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States, here.
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