Excitement surrounding Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 hands-on events has quickly turned sour as scalpers capitalize on the high demand. Reports indicate tickets are being offered on secondhand platforms like eBay for as much as $900, drastically exceeding the console's expected retail price.  Nintendo has issued urgent warnings to fans, cautioning them against these listings, highlighting that the tickets are likely invalid.

Following the official Switch 2 announcement earlier this month, speculation about its features has been rampant, with prevalent rumors suggesting a "mouse mode" for the new Joy-Con controllers.  Nintendo plans to host a dedicated Direct presentation on April 2nd, followed by offline hands-on events.  Registration for these events closed on January 26th, with successful applicants being notified via email this week.  Those who missed the initial registration window could join a waiting list starting January 30th, although attendance remains uncertain.

Despite Nintendo's official FAQ clearly stating that the experience tickets are non-transferable and valid for single use only, scalpers persist in their efforts, leveraging platforms like eBay to resell them at exorbitant prices.  This isn't an isolated incident; similar situations occurred last September with the PlayStation 5 30th Anniversary Edition, where scalpers drove resale prices to thousands of dollars after the console instantly sold out. This raises concerns about how Nintendo intends to combat scalping when the Switch 2 officially launches.

For now, fans without invitations can only hope for a spot on the waiting list or patiently await the Switch 2's official release.  Nintendo hasn't announced a specific launch date, but numerous sources predict a Q4 2024 release.