On-the-ground investigation of Japan's Switch2 launch: lottery purchase limits, sparse customers, and no chance for Chinese buyers

Today is the global release day of Nintendo Switch 2. Sina Technology visited locations in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan, and found that the situation is completely different from the previous generation's release. First, this time the Switch 2 release does not feature the crowds lining up. Japanese staff revealed that offline purchases require a lottery, and only those who win the lottery are eligible to buy, and purchasers must be Japanese residents holding an ID card. This means that tourists with a visa cannot make a purchase. Secondly, many shoppers on-site expressed dissatisfaction with the Switch 2, citing the price increase of the new product and the lack of major games at launch. Additionally, on domestic second-hand platforms, the markup for Switch 2 is not high. According to the official release price, the standard version is priced at HKD 3,750, approximately RMB 3,433, while on Xianyu, multiple sellers are offering it for RMB 3,299. This indicates that the Switch 2 has already dropped in price