Nintendo Switch 2 scalpers are being derailed by a noble group of Reddit users
All because of a clever trick on eBay
Update: Our new Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide has the latest information on the officially confirmed date and time in the US for April 24, 2025.
🤔 Users at the Nintendo sub-Reddit have found an ingenious method of keeping scalpers at bay for the Switch 2 pre-order
👏 They are attempting to get eBay listings taken down because of the fact there are more than 40 days until the console launches
😅 eBay policy states that an item has to be shipped out within 40 days of being sold, while it's also 30 days for items marked as 'presale' in the respective listing
🦸♂️ One user has allegedly taken 20 listings offline so far, and there is no sign of it slowing down
We'd already heard prior to the Switch 2's unveiling that Nintendo had an ingenious plan of dealing with scalpers with the gradual opening of official pre-orders based on your Switch Online playtime, and other key factors.
However, now that Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have gone live in most of the world, apart from the USA, Switch 2 fans are having a bit of a field day when it comes to stopping scalpers from getting their hands on a console.
On the Nintendo sub-Reddit (thanks, GamesRadar+), there are now plenty of posts of users giving each other tips on how to take out scalpers on eBay to improve their chances of getting a console.
This all boils down to eBay's clever rule that you can't sell items unless they will be shipped out within 40 days of being sold, and unless my maths is wrong, there are more than forty days between now and the Switch 2's release date of June 5.
In addition, even if the listing is marked as a 'presale listing' for an item that isn't due out, it has to be cleared as 'presale' in the listing description, and be guaranteed to be posted within 30 days of postage. Of course, you'll be waiting longer than 30 days for the Switch 2, so those listings need to go, too.
One of the users commended someone who had allegedly taken 20 listings offline as doing "God's work", while others commended that "not all heroes wear capes." These Redditors are making sure they and other buyers have the best chance of snagging Nintendo's latest console – and we thank all of those involved.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.