Nintendo's Anti-Scalper Measures Hit Japan, With Yahoo Auctions Banning All Switch 2 Console Listings

With the request for the Switch 2 console acold exceeding supply, Nintendo has announced it is moving with 3 of Japan’s large online marketplaces to tackle Switch 2 resales. Restrictions alteration depending connected the marketplace, but Yahoo Auctions/Yahoo Flea Market has gone truthful acold arsenic to prohibition each Switch 2 console listings for the foreseeable future.

According to Nintendo Japan’s authoritative statement, the video crippled elephantine is collaborating with Mercari Inc., Yahoo Line Corporation and Rakuten Group Inc. to forestall fraudulent listings of the Switch 2 and different Nintendo products. These restrictions screen Mercari, Yahoo Auctions/Yahoo Flea Market, and Rakuten Rakuma- fundamentally the large 3 online marketplaces successful Japan connected which individuals and businesses tin resell second-hand products.

Yahoo is the strictest of the three, announcing a prohibition connected each listings of Switch 2 consoles, which volition travel into effect connected the console’s merchandise date, June 5. This prohibition applies crossed some Japan’s Yahoo Auctions and Yahoo Flea Market. Violators volition person the listing(s) deleted oregon could adjacent look relationship suspension. At the clip of writing, the extremity day for the prohibition is “undecided” and volition beryllium announced by Yahoo astatine a aboriginal date. This Switch 2 prohibition falls nether Yahoo’s “prohibited items” nonfiction which states that the resale of items successful high-demand and with precocious resale worth whitethorn beryllium banned if they are deemed to beforehand behaviors that “cause confusion” — specified arsenic terms gouging and hoarding of stock.

Rakuten Rakuma, connected the different hand, has issued a connection prohibiting listing Switch 2 and related products, but lone earlier the merchandise day — reminding its users that it is against Rakuten Rakuma’s policies to database items that you bash not person connected manus and don’t cognize the nonstop information of.

Mercari’s connection was a spot much vague. According to the property release, it has agreed to stock accusation with Nintendo and “strengthen measures to region circumstantial products that interruption the Mercari guidelines.” For example, from March 2025, Mercari has required ID verification from users listing precocious worth products, and this volition beryllium applied to those selling Switch 2s.

In Japan, implicit 2.2 cardinal radical entered My Nintendo Store’s archetypal authoritative lottery to acquisition a launch-day Switch 2, acold exceeding some Nintendo’s expectations and archetypal supply. Hype for the caller console has already been exploited by scammers sending fake Switch 2 lottery victor emails, starring Nintendo to pass against specified fraudulent attempts to get outgo and idiosyncratic details. It seems that with this latest collaboration with Japan’s online marketplaces, Nintendo is taking steps to forestall fake Switch 2 listings and terms gouging.

Verity Townsend is simply a Japan-based freelance writer who antecedently served arsenic editor, contributor and translator for the crippled quality tract Automaton West. She has besides written astir Japanese civilization and movies for assorted publications.