Nintendo, Amazon Deny Switch 2 Feud Rumors
▼ Summary
– Nintendo Switch 2 and many new games are unavailable on Amazon, with available items often showing region codes from Europe.
– Bloomberg reports Nintendo pulled products due to third-party sellers undercutting prices, despite Amazon’s labeling efforts.
– Both Nintendo and Amazon deny any conflict, calling the report inaccurate and stating their business relationship is normal.
– Amazon currently offers original Switch games and third-party Switch 2 titles but lacks Switch 2 and its first-party games, except for two pre-order exceptions.
– Woot, an Amazon-owned retailer, sells discounted Switch 1 games, potentially undermining Nintendo’s pricing strategy.
Recent shoppers browsing Nintendo products on Amazon may have noticed something unusual, many new games are missing, and those available often carry foreign region codes. Even the highly anticipated Switch 2, despite its record-breaking launch, remains unavailable on the platform nearly a month after release. Both companies insist everything is business as usual, but industry watchers aren’t convinced.
Rumors of tension between Nintendo and Amazon surfaced after a Bloomberg report suggested the gaming giant pulled its products due to pricing disputes. Third-party sellers allegedly undercut Nintendo’s official listings by importing cheaper copies from Southeast Asia. Amazon reportedly attempted to clarify which items were legitimate by improving labeling, but Nintendo apparently wasn’t satisfied.
Nintendo flatly denied the claims, with a spokesperson stating, “There is no such fact. We do not disclose details of negotiations or contracts with retailers.” Amazon also pushed back, calling the report “inaccurate” and emphasizing its commitment to offering customers a broad selection of Nintendo products.
Currently, Amazon stocks older Switch titles and third-party Switch 2 games like Cyberpunk 2077, but the console itself and first-party releases are conspicuously absent. Searches for Mario Kart World redirect to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, though two upcoming titles, Donkey Kong Bananza and Pokémon Legends: Z-A, are available for pre-order. This limited presence raises questions: Is this a tentative olive branch, or just a temporary truce? Notably, Metroid Prime 4, another major 2024 release, isn’t listed, and Amazon even canceled existing pre-orders earlier this year.
Adding fuel to the fire, Amazon-owned Woot frequently discounts Switch 1 games, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom are currently $15 off, while Tears of the Kingdom sits at $48. For shoppers willing to pay a $10 upgrade fee, that’s a $22 savings over buying a Switch 2 version outright. Whether Nintendo approves of these deals remains unclear, but the timing certainly fuels speculation.
With both companies publicly dismissing the feud, the situation remains unresolved. For now, gamers may need to look beyond Amazon for the latest Nintendo releases, or wait to see if the retail giant can win back the gaming titan’s trust.
(Source: kotaku)
