Everyone is excited for the Nintendo Switch 2, there’s no denying that. With plenty of new games that look high quality and some must-have ports, it’s clear this system is going to be a powerhouse. However, the selection process Nintendo has decided to implement has been met with criticism, to put it mildly.
On social media platforms like X, Nintendo has said that NSO members have the chance to get invites in order to try pre-ordering the Switch’s successor. Naturally, this sparked outrage amongst fans, as there are Switch owners who don’t subscribe to NSO since they don’t care for online play or the retro games.
What really frustrated fans about this move is that it's supposedly for the “true fans,” annoying those who have been with the Switch from day one. Making the Switch 2 frustrating to buy was one thing, but making fans feel bad for not being loyal enough is something else. It really goes to show how greedy Nintendo can be, as the company is choosing to offer the system to owners who are giving them yearly money.
To play devil’s advocate, Nintendo did say that they would attempt to fight off scalpers and it looks like they found their method. Requiring gamers to have playtime on a Switch model and NSO to get reservations sounds like an elitist move, but it does limit scalpers who are trying to get one. Unfortunately, due to how difficult it is to get one of these, it could take even longer to purchase a Switch 2 and might even lead to a scalper renaissance if Nintendo aren’t careful.
Regular consumers feel like Nintendo is fighting back against them just because they want to own the console normally. Obviously, that’s not completely the case, since the company is determined to fight scalpers, but there’s no denying that these restrictions make this situation feel dystopian.
You can get a Switch 2 earlier if you’re already paying us $20 to $50 yearly through NSO. What stage of capitalism is this?
If you want to grab a Switch 2 for yourself, click here to check out availability on popular retailers' websites.