The gaming black market is going wild! Reports suggest that early Nintendo Switch 2 units are being sold in China for an absolutely jaw-dropping price—$40,000! Yes, you read that right. Forty. Thousand. Dollars. For a console. Before launch. Because why not, right?
The Black Market Madness
According to a user on the Nintendo Switch 2 subreddit, a certain Xiahongshu forums member—who previously leaked a CAD model of the console last year (and turned out to be spot on)—has shared another bombshell. This time, they posted a screenshot of a conversation with a black market seller, claiming that a complete Nintendo Switch 2 setup (dock and Joy-Cons included) is available for 290,000 RMB (~$39,780).
Posts from the nintendoswitch2
community on Reddit
But wait, who in their right mind would shell out that kind of cash for a console that will probably retail for, what, $400? Well, it turns out, it’s not your average Mario Kart enthusiast making these purchases. Instead, manufacturers are allegedly buying these early units to test and develop accessories before the official launch. So yeah, they’re investing big bucks, but at least they have a plan to recover that money. Unlike, you know, the guy who once spent $100,000 on a rare Pokémon card.
Is This the Real Deal or Just a Hype Train?
Now, before you start questioning your life choices for not having a spare $40K lying around, let’s consider one thing: is this even real? There’s no way to verify 100% if this supposed black market Switch 2 is legit. However, given that the same Xiahongshu user accurately leaked the console’s CAD model before the official reveal, there’s a solid chance they’re onto something.
The gaming community is already in detective mode, and if this console is out there, it won’t stay a secret for long. With the much-anticipated Nintendo Direct dedicated to the Switch 2 coming up on April 2nd, we’ll soon have more details straight from the Big N itself.
When Can We Actually Buy the Nintendo Switch 2?
For those of us who aren’t willing to sell a kidney for an early unit, the Nintendo Switch 2 is officially set to launch sometime this year. While we don’t have a confirmed release date yet, all signs point to a launch in the second half of 2025. Why? Well, Nintendo’s preview events are running until late May, so it makes sense that we’ll be waiting at least a few months after that for the official drop.
Until then, let’s all cross our fingers that Nintendo doesn’t pull a Metroid Prime 4 and delay it into oblivion.
