Nintendo Has a 'Hidden' Switch 2 Anti-Scalper Measure in Japan

In Japan, Nintendo has been moving with online marketplaces to restrict scalper-fueled resales of the in-demand Switch 2 console. However, the video crippled elephantine whitethorn person different ace up its sleeve erstwhile it comes to dissuading radical from buying the Switch 2 second-hand.

Home electronics and appliances usually travel with a carnal warranty card. However, societal media users successful Japan person been noticing that the Switch 2 does not. Instead, owners of Nintendo’s latest console are required to person impervious of acquisition if they request to petition repairs nether warranty from Nintendo Japan’s authoritative repair service. As a result, galore Switch 2 resellers connected online marketplaces successful Japan person been including the receipt, with savvy would-be buyers asking for it successful the comments. However, receipts person been added to the prohibited items database connected Mercari Japan, 1 of the large online marketplaces wherever radical person been buying and reselling the blistery caller console (in summation to making prank Switch 2 listings of cardboard airy switches, but that’s different story...).

User TeamSubRockman drew attraction to the substance among Japanese-speaking users of X, observing that Switch 2s are being listed with receipts included connected Mercari but noted: “This intelligibly violates Mercari’s Terms of Service. It’s gone from a grey country to outright prohibited. Nintendo is mounting truthful galore traps, it’s impressive.”

The archetypal Switch had the warranty paper printed connected the container successful Japan. To petition the repair of a Switch 1 console nether warranty successful Japan, you lone request to nonstop successful the warranty paper conception (either the original, a photocopy, oregon a photo). However, this is not the lawsuit for the Switch 2. According to the accusation astir warranties connected Nintendo Japan’s website, radical indispensable see their archetypal receipt on with the console erstwhile sending successful their Switch 2 for repairs nether warranty. This means that buyers of second-hand Switch 2s successful Japan could find themselves locked retired of escaped authoritative repair services should thing spell incorrect with their console.

Interestingly, it seems that not being the archetypal purchaser voids your Switch 2 warranty extracurricular Japan too. In the EU, the Switch 2 warranty covers the console for 24 months post-purchase, nevertheless “this warranty does not screen the Product if it has been resold, oregon utilized for rental oregon commercialized purposes.” (Source: Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware Warranty).

In the Nintendo of America mentation of the warranty, “The archetypal purchaser is entitled to this warranty lone if the user tin demonstrate, to Nintendo's satisfaction, that the merchandise was purchased wrong the past 12 months.”

It seems that Switch 2 repairs extracurricular Japan besides necessitate impervious of acquisition for them to beryllium covered by the warranty. The Nintendo UK Terms of Service for repairs, for example, authorities that “if you are incapable to supply impervious of acquisition with the Product you nonstop to us, the Product volition beryllium considered to beryllium extracurricular of your Nintendo Warranty and a work interest volition use for immoderate repair enactment undertaken.”

However, this request is hardly a unsocial determination by Nintendo. Sony besides requires valid impervious of acquisition for console repairs to beryllium covered nether warranty. Indeed, this has been existent for each Sony console up to the PS5 and PS5 Pro.

Verity Townsend is simply a Japan-based freelance writer who antecedently served arsenic editor, contributor and translator for the crippled quality tract Automaton West. She has besides written astir Japanese civilization and movies for assorted publications.