Nintendo May Have Handled Switch 2 Preorders Differently in Japan and the U.S. Due to Varying Perceptions of Fairness, Japanese Study Suggests

Why did Nintendo connection Switch 2 preorders done a lottery strategy successful Japan, but via “first-come, first-served” invites successful the U.S. and different countries? A insubstantial published by a Japanese assemblage this period sought to reply this question, looking into wherefore Nintendo decided to grip Switch 2 presales otherwise successful Japan and the U.S. One of the factors it examined was the differences betwixt what is perceived arsenic “fair” successful Japan and the U.S., which whitethorn person influenced Nintendo’s attack to getting its latest console into the hands of gamers.

The survey was a collaboration betwixt researchers astatine The University of Osaka’s Research Center connected Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI Center) and Mercari’s R&D Department. It’s worthy noting that Nintendo was not progressive successful the study.

First of all, the researchers looked astatine the points that some the Japanese and U.S. launches had successful common, namely proviso and demand. In some markets, determination were not capable Switch 2 consoles to conscionable pre-launch demand, a concern that prompted some Nintendo Japan’s president and Nintendo of America’s COO to marque respective statements reassuring fans that the institution would nutrient a dependable travel of units to conscionable request post-launch.

The survey pointed retired that successful specified a short-supply, high-demand situation, Nintendo could person capitalized connected the constricted fig of Switch 2 consoles available. For example, by utilizing dynamic pricing oregon authoritative auctions, Nintendo could person maximized its profits from their caller hardware by making Switch 2 lone disposable to those who were consenting to wage large bucks (or heaps of yen) for a motorboat time console (thus balancing retired request and supply).

However, Nintendo did not spell with this method. After all, for console makers the usualy absorption is not connected making wealth from hardware sales, but connected the semipermanent profits from crippled income and subscription services related to that console. Nintendo’s attack to handling authoritative Switch 2 preorders suggests it was much acrophobic astir purchasers’ “willingness-to-play” alternatively than “willingness-to-pay.”

To participate Nintendo’s Switch 2 preorder lottery successful Japan, you needed to beryllium a holder of a existent Nintendo relationship for astatine slightest a twelvemonth and to person implicit 50 hours of play connected Switch 1. The aforesaid restrictions were successful spot for Nintendo of America’s invitation emails, which were delivered to eligible registrants who met these criteria, giving them 72 hours to implicit their purchase. In this way, Nintendo allocated its constricted proviso to consumers who were apt to privation to usage alternatively than resell their shiny caller Switch 2. Nintendo took this a measurement further successful Japan, moving with online marketplaces to combat terms gouging and fraudulent Switch 2 listings.

However, wherefore did Nintendo take to instrumentality a “first-come, archetypal served” pre-order strategy successful the U.S. but opted for preorder lotteries successful Japan? The insubstantial presents respective hypotheses that screen assorted factors that whitethorn person influenced Nintendo's decision. These halfway astir the company’s reputational risk, arsenic good arsenic perceived taste and societal differences successful the 2 antithetic markets.

If customers person atrocious experiences with a console launch, this tin negatively interaction the estimation of the institution and consequent profits. Although it seems Nintendo was conscious of appearing just successful its handling of Switch 2 motorboat consoles successful some Japan and the U.S., with its restrictions that constricted preorders to its existing “willing to play” lawsuit base, the insubstantial highlighted that it took other steps to look “fair” successful Japan.

Even though lotteries are much costly to run, Nintendo decided to connection Switch 2 preorders utilizing this method successful Japan. The researchers pointed retired that Japanese consumers thin to person precocious expectations that companies volition instrumentality a well-managed strategy that gives radical an adjacent accidental of obtaining a high-demand product. Lotteries are often utilized for presales successful Japan (for example, precocious performance summons income are usually allocated via lottery). Therefore, Nintendo astir apt implemented a lottery strategy due to the fact that it's a socially accepted and communal mode of handling presales successful Japan, and gives each entrants the aforesaid accidental of snagging a Switch 2.

Customers bargain Switch 2 astatine a retailer successful Tokyo connected June 5, 2025. Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images.

The insubstantial besides suggested that taste perceptions of “fairness” whitethorn besides person played a role. Whereas Japanese customers mightiness beryllium much apt to find the equality of lotteries much fair, customers successful the U.S. whitethorn person perceived ‘first travel archetypal served’ arsenic fairer arsenic it rewards the efforts of the individual.

Over a period aft launch, Nintendo Japan is inactive lone selling Switch 2 via lottery connected its authoritative site, with its July lottery presently open. There are inactive immoderate restrictions: 1 introduction per person, with the rules forbidding radical who person won erstwhile Switch 2 lotteries and radical who purpose to resell the console from entering. However, this signifier is changing successful retail stores. Japanese concatenation Geo announced that it volition commencement offering immoderate Switch 2 consoles to members connected a first-come, first-served ground connected July 19. So it seems that Japan whitethorn determination towards “first-come, first-served” arsenic the Switch 2 console proviso increases.

Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images.

Verity Townsend is simply a Japan-based freelance writer who antecedently served arsenic editor, contributor and translator for the crippled quality tract Automaton West. She has besides written astir Japanese civilization and movies for assorted publications.