I’ve been dying to get my hands on Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition for years now, but I could never find it on sale despite it launching in 2020 and being a remaster of a 14-year-old game.
Yes, you heard me, it still costs $60. Now, that’s not a huge surprise since it’s a Nintendo Switch title published by, you guessed it, Nintendo. However, I was tired of waiting. I tried to see if any other retailer sold the game for a cheaper price, and I was successful.
I purchased Xenoblade Chronicles from a seller on G2A, a digital marketplace for software and video games, for just $32. Spoiler alert: I regret it, but not for the reason you might think. I didn’t get scammed out of my money by not receiving the game. No, it was how I received the game that led to my immeasurable frustration and dejection. It certainly felt like a scam, especially after I was denied a refund.
Let’s jump into why this was a flustering experience for me and provide you with a better alternative for buying Nintendo Switch games at a cheaper price.
A cautionary tale
I bought Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition from Pixelpuffin_net on G2A and I hated that my long wait turned into an impulsive late night purchase. The reason being that the shop was not selling a code for Xenoblade Chronicles but instead a Nintendo eShop account that owns the game. There are a few issues I have with this.
Anyone who’s never shopped on G2A can be easily misled by the title, which is tail ended by “Nintendo eShop Account - GLOBAL.” My assumption was that the code for the game was applicable to global eShop accounts as opposed to the product being a global eShop account.
To be fair, there is a warning in the product description and a warning before you add the game to your cart. However, I purchased this title on mobile. Even if you scroll down the page, the Product Description tab is not only hidden between an ad and a row of other games, it is not collapsed. Why would I click on a product description for a video game that I know enough about to want to buy?
So, my only real warning was when I added it to check out. However, that warning reads “Available in an account” in bold text and then “You’ll get access to an account instead of a key. Sounds good?” in smaller, normal text. Attached to the warning is a portrait with a little green check mark. I blew past this warning as a “This’ll be added to your Nintendo account directly instead of a code.”
I won’t excuse myself, I am responsible for my own actions. A combination of overeagerness and a misleading product listing may have played a part, but it was still my choice. Despite that, I brought my concerns to the shop’s support and when I asked for a refund, they completely rejected it, regurgitating the “This item can't be returned or refunded” policy in the product description that I didn’t think to read.
Instead of going on a rant about how our capitalist culture is laced with the “gotcha!” mentality, I will simply warn you about issues with purchases like this.
First and foremost, you do NOT own the game. (You could argue that no one owns digital games anyway, but that’s irrelevant to this conversation.) Just take a look at the myriad of warnings I received before claiming the account:
Sigh… This is a bleaker type of ownership than borrowing a game from a friend you don’t like.
However, while I am currently playing Xenoblade Chronicles due to the account I purchased, I am playing it on my account. So if the game does disappear, my cloud saves will remain. If you’re fully aware of the risks and you really want to save a few extra bucks, this is a method to do so, but it’s not one I am fond of.
So what’s the alternative?
The alternative
The only way to consistently get Nintendo-published Switch games on discount is via Game Vouchers. For $99.98, you can purchase Game Vouchers for two games (if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online member).
Doing the math, it is only $10 off per game, but that list of games is long and includes new titles like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. You are spending a total of $100 versus a potential $32, so it’s not exactly the best deal, which is why I did buy through G2A.
However, with the vouchers, you do own the games you buy and you can hold onto those vouchers for up to 12 months after purchasing them. Additionally, the voucher also counts toward games that cost $70, so you could potentially save up to $20 per game ($40 total).
Overall, if I did receive my refund, I would have purchased the vouchers. While G2A deals aren't necessarily a scam, you need to be fully aware of what you’re purchasing. It’s a valid route, just not one that I like. Some stores do sell codes, but it’s not at those tempting price points.
