On Wednesday, Nintendo finally unveiled all of the details on the Switch 2, but the price might have some gamers worried.
Luckily, there may be hope yet to get a Switch 2 for an affordable price thanks to leaked trade-in deals.
The Switch 2 will launch at $449 for the base console or $499 for a combo pack that includes Mario Kart World, the first exclusive game announced for the new console. Both will be available for pre-order on April 9 and launch on June 5.
If you think that price sounds high, you're not alone. Nintendo fans overwhelmingly agreed in the response online following Wednesday's Nintendo Direct presentation.
If you were among the chorus of people upset by the Switch 2's price, we do have some good news — a trade-in deal that might make the hefty price tag more palatable.
GameStop trade-in might be the most affordable way to get a Switch 2
On March 31, a photo leaked on X showing what appears to be GameStop's trade-in discounts for the current Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite. A nearly identical image was posted on April 2 after Nintendo's Switch 2 livestream that showed more details, including a disclaimer that the trade-in discount will only be valid through April 30, 2025.
Up to $175 trade-in for Switch 1 towards Switch 2 reservation at GameStop https://t.co/nQ8KMNPMJd pic.twitter.com/jzz6FYWfzjApril 2, 2025
GameStop currently has a page for the Switch 2 on its official website, but it's just a sign-up page for pre-orders at the time of writing. There's no sign of this trade-in ad on that page or on GameStop's website currently, though. So, these trade-in values are not confirmed yet.
However, the trade-in rates in the leaked images are fairly close to those on GameStop's website already. Right now, you can get up to $143 for the Switch OLED, $110 for a standard Switch, and $71.50 for a Switch Lite.
Those rates are lower than the trade-in values in the leaked promotional images, but it could be that GameStop is planning to temporarily offer a higher trade-in value specifically for people upgrading to the Switch 2.
I, for one, hope these leaked trade-in values end up being official because they could make the Switch 2 much more affordable. Even if you only have a Switch Lite to trade-in, that could still bring the Switch 2 down to $349.
Nintendo's anti-scalper pre-order system
GameStop isn't the only place where you can pre-order the Switch 2, but trade-in rates aren't the only reason it might be the best option.
Pre-ordering the Switch 2 directly from Nintendo is... complicated. However, it might actually be a good thing for gamers.
Nintendo is implementing a unique system for Switch 2 pre-orders that appears to be an attempt to prevent scalpers from buying up Switch 2 units to resell them at inflated prices. This is a major issue with big tech releases, like new graphics cards or consoles. So, it's nice to see Nintendo trying to take steps to stop scalpers.
Nintendo is doing that by prioritizing would-be Switch 2 customers who meet certain criteria and giving them first dibs at buying the new console.
According to the current sign up 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 everyone in that priority group has gotten their chance to pre-order the Switch 2, more invitation emails will be sent out on a first-come, first-served basis to everyone else.
If you don't meet that criteria, you can also always pre-order the Switch 2 from another retailer, like GameStop.
This system is a little complicated, but it basically guarantees that there will be at least one way for gamers to order a Switch 2 at the regular list price at launch.
Prioritizing people who already have a Switch and have consistently played it may seem unfair, but it does give priority to the people who are most likely to be most excited about the new console.
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