Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Sells Out, Scalpers Strike Again

Well, that didn't take long. The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 went up for preorder recently, sold out almost instantly, and now it's raining marked-up consoles on eBay. If you're a Zelda fan who just wanted to celebrate 40 years of Hyrule with a shiny new console, you probably got beaten to the punch by someone with a bot and zero shame.

The limited edition system was priced at around $520 officially. That's already a chunk of change, but it's nothing compared to what scalpers are asking now. Listings on eBay and similar secondhand platforms have popped up with prices ranging from $800 to $1,000—and sometimes even higher. Yeah, you read that right. Some folks are trying to double their money before the thing even ships.

Unsurprisingly, the player community is not taking this lying down. Across forums and social media, fans are calling scalpers a "persistent disease" on the gaming industry, arguing that bulk-buying stock and flipping it for profit screws over regular players and genuine fans. One common sentiment you'll see floating around: "Real fans can't buy one, but scalpers are hoarding and marking them up." Others have gone further, labeling them "parasites" and a "cancer" on the hobby we all love.

There's also a growing push for collective action. Some players are urging others to simply refuse to pay scalper prices, pointing out that if nobody bites, the resellers will eventually be stuck with inventory they can't move. It's basic supply and demand—if the demand dries up, the profit disappears. Others are suggesting that people report inflated listings on eBay, and apparently some links have already been taken down thanks to those reports.

A few commenters have pointed out that Nintendo has tried to fight back before. The company has previously implemented purchase limits and even required a certain amount of playtime before allowing preorders, measures clearly aimed at keeping bots and bulk buyers at bay. But judging by how fast this Zelda edition vanished and how quickly it reappeared at triple the price, those efforts aren't exactly doing the trick. Fans are now hoping Nintendo will step up with even tougher restrictions.

It's a frustrating cycle we've seen play out with consoles, graphics cards, and collectibles for years now. You'd think by 2025 we'd have figured out a better way, but here we are again. The good news? The more people refuse to play the scalper game, the less power those resellers have. So if you missed out, maybe hold off on that $1,000 eBay listing and wait for a restock instead.

Have you ever caved and bought from a scalper, or do you refuse on principle? Let us know in the comments—and hey, if you spot any ridiculous listings, maybe hit that report button while you're at it.