Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Spark Bidding Wars on eBay with Massive Markups

Gamers unable to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 through official retailers are now turning to eBay, where pre-orders are selling for hundreds of dollars above retail price. After Nintendo's recent showcase revealed the console's June 5th release date, pre-orders quickly sold out across major UK retailers, creating a perfect environment for resellers.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is officially priced at £395.99 for the console alone or £429.99 when bundled with a digital copy of Mario Kart World. While this price point already represents a 50% increase over the original Switch, desperate buyers are willing to pay significantly more on the secondary market.

On eBay, Switch 2 pre-orders are regularly fetching between £450 and £600. The most extreme example identified shows a Mario Kart World bundle selling for £634.02—a markup of over £200 from the recommended retail price. Another listing for just the console (without the game) sold for £554.45.

"Sorry, this item is just too popular! But we may get more stock, so do check back at a later date," reads a notice on Argos' website, illustrating the widespread inventory shortages that have fueled this resale market.

Nintendo appears to be aware of the scalping issue. As reported by Eurogamer, the company has implemented an invite-only system for pre-orders through its official store in an attempt to get consoles into the hands of genuine gamers rather than resellers looking to profit.

Meanwhile, Nintendo has delayed pre-orders in the United States as well as in Canada that were scheduled to begin on April 9th. The company stated this decision was made "in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

While some may feel the FOMO over the new tariff policy, we recommend you wait for additional retail inventory to become available closer to or after the June launch. Prices aren't going up for now!

This pattern of high-demand gaming consoles becoming targets for resellers follows similar situations seen with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launches, where limited supply and high demand created lucrative opportunities for those who could secure early pre-orders.