According to a recent post on the Switch 2 subreddit (thanks, wccftech), early units of Nintendo's upcoming new console are being sold on the Chinese black market for nearly $40,000.
This is supposedly sourced via the same leaker from the Xiahongshu forums who revealed the CAD model for the Switch 2 in 2024, with an accompanying screenshot showcasing messages between the leaker and a black market seller, albeit with much of the detail blurred out.
You have to wonder why anyone would be willing to spend so much on an early Switch 2 unit, but the theory is that the leaker is effectively shopping the unit out to accessory manufacturers. Building products based on specs alone is one thing, but having the ability to actually test out accessories with a real Switch 2 unit might well be worth the hassle and money given the potential pay-off in the months and years ahead.
Of course, it's possible that this could all be a load of rubbish, but you know what these leakers are like. Give it a few weeks, and we'll probably see blurry, cropped images of the unit itself posted on Famiboards or something. And so the cycle continues.
Would you pay $40,000 for an opportunity to own a Switch 2 before anybody else? Sheesh, we sure wouldn't... Let us know your thoughts with a comment down below.
[source reddit.com, via wccftech.com]
Comments 46
I really can't understand why on earth someone would drop so much money on something that'll be available for a fraction of the price in months and until that time is just an overpriced brick that at best can run existing Switch games a little better, but really, if you're the kind of person who's willing to drop $40,000 on a Switch 2 you're the kind of person who deserves to get scammed out of $40,000.
What's the point? It's not like they can play any games on it, at least not new ones.
@Lizuka The kind of person who's willing to drop $40,000 on a Switch 2 should be the kind of person who donates $40,000 to environmental/poor people charities. I want to believe that it's a journalism work and that the transaction won't be completed.
The seller, the buyer and everyone who is involved in this should hope that Nintendo never finds out who they are. Paying 40k for something you can not use without getting caught is insanity.
@Lizuka Could be because the Switch 2 may not be sold in China for a long while.
"it's possible that this could all be a load of rubbish"
But we write an article about it still.
This kind of thing seems to happen with every console prior to launch. Didn’t the PS4 Pro get leaked because of a photo of it being available at a Chinese market or something like that?
Can confirm, ex-GS employee here. We got black market Switch 2’s from China back in 2013. But best we could do was tree fiddy! And we had to walk up hill both ways to give that tree fiddy!
So yeah you might have unlicensed accessory makers wanting to get in on launch day sales, but my other thoughts are that of nefarious actors wanting to exploit the system ASAP, like your MIG Switch manufacturers to see if they can figure out any exploits.
Nintendo probably knew about this and turned off the OS until launch day so the UI wouldn’t show when powered on. Release is the only way we’ll know what the Switch 2 UI will look like.
@Potimarron how many articles are there on the internet which say the earth is flat?
The $50 dollar gamestop trade-in is so true XD
Nope, even if I had that much extra money I'd rather spend most likely around 100 times less for a Switch 2 when it comes out officially and keep the rest to buy games, collectibles etc. other than of course being an incredibly dumb reason to risk consequences due to its illegality!
Considering obligatory system updates a new console typically downloads out the box, a bootleg unit up to half a year away from launch might well lack the necessary firmware support for who knows what from Nintendo account support to proper online or even wireless peripheral connectivity in general. Heck, the thing might not even complete the initialization! My stomach could never handle all the popcorn warranted by the news of someone spending $40k on "early access" to a grand handful of greeting screens.
@JohnnyMind Yeah, absolutely! I mean... what would one even do with a Switch 2 right now anyway? It would be impossible to go online with it (due to the fear of being caught, and presumably the servers aren't public yet anyway), and no Switch 2 games would be available. Maybe one could play Switch 1 games, and that's it! Although, as Ollie says, maybe it's more aimed at businesses... but what a chance to take!
I'll take two, please --'
@Bunkerneath You're right.
Just came here to write an irrelevant comment to an irrelevant article.
But it wasn't worth it.
Might be a good time to change this website name from NintendoLife to NintendoRumours, just a thought. 😂🤨
Do you have to click the link on the email? Beware....
@Ooyah The potential improved performance of Switch games would be nice but again, it's definitely not worth that much both in literal and figurative price to pay for it and even less so considering we're getting closer and closer to the Direct for sure and most likely the official release, too!
$40,000 dollars. For a glorified pseudo-brick that'll hit store shelves in a few short months in many parts of the world. Likely for roughly 1% of this price. 40,000. Freaking. Dollars.
Nope. NOPE. Nadda. Null.
A YouTuber will pay oft it and makes the money back with the million+ clicks they get.
I feel like 40k actually isn't bad for accessory manufacturers IF there weren't going to be even more Switch 2 units floating around in the next few months. Who's to say someone doesn't stumble upon 100 of them in a month.
The gamestop jab floored me , well done.
Such a bad deal. I got mine for £15000
40K to get a slight head start on making accessories which will absolutely not guarantee a massive spike in sales while putting a massive target on your back for notorious legal arm. Or, 40K for 15 minutes of internet fame and a drop of clout with a console that is effectively a brick until launch day. I sure hope someone tries to do this because it will make a great story to follow.
$40K?! What "affordable prices" does Nintendo think we expect?? I guess I'm not getting one on launch day after all...
@Lizuka The value of money is subjective.
You wouldn’t pay $40,000 for an early Switch 2, but would you pay $.40?
There are many people on this earth so insanely wealthy that $40,000 is virtually the same as $.40 might be to the average person.
Further, accessory manufacturers, or other types of businesses I can’t think of, might benefit greatly by getting an early physical copy such that $40,000 is a small investment to get a leg up on competition.
Personally, I still think it’s nuts, but then again I’m not the target audience of the person trying to sell this thing for $40,000.
Being the first to have a teardown and benchmarks might just be worth it to someone. Being the first gets you a lot of views. Could even jumpstart a new channel.
Well, this is ridiculous.
@Olliemar28
I legitimately cackled at this.
40k? Don't get ripped off folks. I'll sell you a switch 2 for half that price. As long as you don't mind waiting until release day. And that it comes shaped like a Switch 1.
Do I pay off the entirety of my student loans or get a Switch 2? Hmm.....it's a tough call....
I think I'll just stay sane and continue to save up the money to barely be able to afford one at normal price when it launches. Boring, I know, but seems safer.
@Lizuka
Hahaha exactly!
Sometimes unreleased & Beta units in good condition could sell for ridiculous amounts. But it's never worth the hassle, price, and eventual lawsuits that you might end up going against.
And after GameStop pays $50 for the trade they will sell it used for $20k (assuming same business model as eb games in Australia)
Yikes. Outside of the official news coming in April, I'm most interested in what Nintendo intends to do about all the leaks leading up to the hardware reveal. How many vendor contracts will be voided for those that leaked?
the $50 trade-in at gamestop sound accurate.
China puts out a new emulation console every other week. How do you know this isn't one of those or a Famiclone with Switch 2 written on it?
They've been doing that since longer than some NL chatters have been alive!
Play stoopid games, win stoopid prizes!
According to leakers, it is selling in the black market for $40,000 or its equivalent of 2 dozens of eggs.
tweaknmod wrote:
China has 814 billionaires. The most in the world.
Someone with $1 billion, invested in stocks at 8% return makes a quarter million $ a day.
They'll be able to afford another $40,000 Switch 2 every 4½ hours.
And I'm sure that box will contain a switch 2, not a bag of potatoes
@MontyCircus
"But with a 2% fee, they'll earn..."
Is all I think of now. Stupid Questrade commercials...
The people that put the time into chatting with an obvious scam, is completely mind blowing.
@IceClimbersMain Congratulations on being the first person in the comments section to read more than just the headline! And it only took 23 posts....
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