Nintendo’s Switch 2 is costly, but this may be the best way to get a major discount Leave a comment
On Wednesday, Nintendo lastly unveiled all of the particulars on the Switch 2, but the worth may need some players anxious.
Luckily, there may be hope but to get a Switch 2 for an inexpensive worth thanks to leaked trade-in offers.
The Switch 2 will launch at $449 for the base console or $499 for a combo pack that features Mario Kart World, the first unique recreation introduced for the new console. Both will be obtainable for pre-order on April 9 and launch on June 5.
If you suppose that worth sounds excessive, you are not alone. Nintendo followers overwhelmingly agreed in the response on-line following Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct presentation.
If you had been amongst the refrain of individuals upset by the Switch 2’s worth, we do have some excellent news — a trade-in deal which may make the hefty price ticket extra palatable.
GameStop trade-in may be the most inexpensive way to get a Switch 2
On March 31, a photograph leaked on X displaying what seems to be GameStop’s trade-in reductions for the present Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite. A virtually an identical picture was posted on April 2 after Nintendo’s Switch 2 livestream that confirmed extra particulars, together with a disclaimer that the trade-in discount will solely be legitimate by way of April 30, 2025.
Up to $175 trade-in for Switch 1 in direction of Switch 2 reservation at GameStop https://t.co/nQ8KMNPMJd pic.twitter.com/jzz6FYWfzjApril 2, 2025
GameStop at present has a web page for the Switch 2 on its official web site, but it is simply a sign-up web page for pre-orders at the time of writing. There’s no signal of this trade-in advert on that web page or on GameStop’s web site at present, although. So, these trade-in values should not confirmed but.
However, the trade-in charges in the leaked photos are pretty shut to these on GameStop’s web site already. Right now, you may get up to $143 for the Switch OLED, $110 for a customary Switch, and $71.50 for a Switch Lite.
Those charges are decrease than the trade-in values in the leaked promotional photos, but it may be that GameStop is planning to briefly supply a increased trade-in worth particularly for individuals upgrading to the Switch 2.
I, for one, hope these leaked trade-in values find yourself being official as a result of they might make the Switch 2 rather more inexpensive. Even in case you solely have a Switch Lite to trade-in, that would nonetheless convey the Switch 2 down to $349.
Nintendo’s anti-scalper pre-order system
GameStop is not the solely place the place you may pre-order the Switch 2, but trade-in charges aren’t the solely cause it would be the best possibility.
Pre-ordering the Switch 2 straight from Nintendo is… sophisticated. However, it would truly be a good factor for players.
Nintendo is implementing a distinctive system for Switch 2 pre-orders that seems to be an try to stop scalpers from shopping for up Switch 2 items to resell them at inflated costs. This is a major challenge with large tech releases, like new graphics playing cards or consoles. So, it is good to see Nintendo making an attempt to take steps to cease scalpers.
Nintendo is doing that by prioritizing would-be Switch 2 clients who meet sure standards and giving them first dibs at shopping for the new console.
According to the present join web page, “Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025.”
After everybody in that precedence group has gotten their likelihood to pre-order the Switch 2, extra invitation emails will be despatched out on a first-come, first-served foundation to everybody else.
If you do not meet that standards, you may also all the time pre-order the Switch 2 from one other retailer, like GameStop.
This system is a little sophisticated, but it principally ensures that there’ll be not less than one way for players to order a Switch 2 at the common listing worth at launch.
Prioritizing individuals who have already got a Switch and have constantly performed it may appear unfair, but it does give precedence to the people who find themselves almost certainly to be most enthusiastic about the new console.