Nintendo is Requiring You to Play Games to Buy the Switch 2 in Japan

Nintendo has announced a new restriction for buying Switch 2 consoles in Japan, and it involves the perfect counter for scalpers, as people need to actually play video games to purchase one.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is going up in price in September, but that's only for the consoles in Europe and North America. In Japan, the Switch 2 has already received its price increase, with the stock price plummeting in response. However, there are differences in currency value, meaning it's worth it for some people to try and buy them in Japan, due to a weaker yen, especially considering there are multi-language Switch 2 models.

Nintendo has noticed people buying up Switch 2 units, and has announced a countermeasure. According to the official Japanese Nintendo Twitter/X account, the company has created a new form of lottery system for buying consoles, one that will ensure they only land in the hands of real fans.

Nintendo's Latest Lottery System Restricts Switch 2 Sales To People With 50 Hours Of Playtime

In order to purchase a multi-language Nintendo Switch 2 model through the Nintendo Store, players will now need a Nintendo Account with at least 50 hours of playtime, not counting demos or free software. Presumably, this means that games like Fortnite aren't counted, but the Nintendo Switch Online games are, as they require a paid subscription to access them.

Additionally, each account is limited to one Nintendo Switch 2, meaning that even if some scalper had left Mario Kart World running for 50 hours, they'd still be restricted to a single system. The date for this playtime has also been restricted, as only games played before May 31 count, meaning people can't create multiple accounts and just play lots of games on a single system, as that would only take a few days.

Scalpers have been the bane of new console releases since the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, especially as both consoles had heavily restricted launches, due to the issues associated with producing and shipping them during lockdown. The Nintendo Switch 2 didn't have the same issues as the competition, as Nintendo allowed longtime fans to buy them directly through the online store.

The impending price increase of the Nintendo Switch 2 in September should, in theory, lead to a rush of sales, especially as the deadline draws closer, so the restricted system makes sense. The recent announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake may help in that regard, especially if Nintendo reveals that it's coming in October or November.

Even if no one is interested in buying a new system, scalpers will be there on day one, buying up hardware and throwing them on eBay, in an effort to hit the FOMO button in peoples' brains. A console is at its absolute lowest value on launch day, as it's when it's at its most expensive and has the fewest games, but people want shiny new toys, and scalpers are there to dangle them over their heads with inflated price points.

Nintendo's latest countermeasure to scalpers is a great way of ensuring fans can get their hands on Switch 2 systems without having to battle the second-hand market. The recent Nintendo Direct has made the 2026 schedule a lot more exciting, making the Switch 2 a lot more appealing than it was when the price increase was announced, so the new lottery system might be needed to fight off the scalpers.