Nintendo has implemented purchase restrictions on the Switch 2 multi-language version in Japan.
Ahead of planned price increases in the US, Canada, and Europe, Nintendo noticed that scalpers were taking advantage of the weaker yen.
Nintendo announced on social media (via machine translation) that it will pause sales and introduce new purchasing rules for the multi-language console in Japan.
Nintendo said it will limit purchases to one console per account, and buyers must have at least 50 hours of Switch playtime by the end of May 2026.
This approach mirrors the launch last June, when consumers in the US, Canada, and the UK were required to have two years of Nintendo Switch Online membership and at least 50 hours of playtime to “prioritise the most dedicated players.”
Nintendo announced hardware price increases last month, later attributing the decision to current market conditions.
“The recent surge in memory and other component prices […] and trends in the foreign exchange market and the price of oil, are all factors that we anticipate will continue over the medium to long term,” said Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa.
“We felt that the profitability of our hardware would suffer significantly if we maintained our existing pricing, potentially impacting our business operations over this time frame.”
Furukawa also said Nintendo would “make necessary preparations to ensure that [it] can respond to whatever situation arises.”
