Nintendo yanks Switch 2 from Amazon in pricing dispute

Nintendo’s blockbuster Switch 2 console may be flying off shelves across the U.S., but there’s one place gamers can’t buy it: Amazon.

The Japanese gaming giant quietly pulled its products from Amazon’s U.S. storefront following a dispute over unauthorized sales by third-party merchants, according to a recent Bloomberg report. That means Amazon has missed out on what has become the biggest console launch in history, with Nintendo selling more than 3.5 million units of the Switch 2 in just four days.

At the heart of the disagreement was Nintendo’s frustration with resellers buying games and consoles in bulk from Southeast Asia and then undercutting its U.S. prices on Amazon’s marketplace. While Amazon reportedly offered to label Nintendo products as authentic to assuage concerns over counterfeits, that wasn’t enough to keep the company from withdrawing, the person said.

Both companies have denied the fallout; however, the Switch 2 itself is currently absent from Amazon’s U.S. site and Amazon isn’t listed among official retailers on Nintendo’s website.

The Switch 2 is available at major U.S. retailers including Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop, as well as Amazon sites in the UK, Canada, and Japan. But American Amazon shoppers remain out of luck for now, leading to confusion and frustration among gamers eager to snag the hybrid console.

Nintendo is far from the first company to complain about Amazon resellers. Companies from Apple to Nike have fought to limit unauthorized sellers on the e-commerce platform or regain control over how their products are sold. Amazon has responded by filing lawsuits against suspected counterfeiters and offering brand-specific safeguards to keep major partners on board.

In recent weeks, Nintendo appears to have restarted a direct sales relationship with Amazon in the U.S. for at least some upcoming releases. Preorders for the new “Donkey Kong Bananza” are listed as “Sold by Amazon.”