Nintendo is once again taking aim at scalpers, introducing a strict new requirement for certain Nintendo Switch 2 purchases in Japan.

The company has announced that customers looking to buy the multi-language version of the Nintendo Switch 2 through the Japanese Nintendo Store must have logged at least 50 hours of gameplay on the original Nintendo Switch. Importantly, time spent in demos or free-to-play titles does not count toward the total. Purchases are also limited to one console per Nintendo Account.

The move comes after Nintendo identified a number of suspicious orders believed to be connected to resellers. By requiring an established play history, the company hopes to ensure that consoles reach genuine players rather than individuals looking to profit from resale markets.

Nintendo has experimented with similar measures before. During the original Switch 2 launch period, the company used account-based eligibility requirements, including gameplay history and Nintendo Switch Online membership criteria, to prioritize dedicated users when demand far exceeded supply.

The latest restrictions specifically target the multi-language Japanese model, which has become attractive to international buyers because of favorable regional pricing. Nintendo reportedly sees this version as particularly vulnerable to large-scale reselling efforts.

While some consumers may view the requirement as an inconvenience, many players have praised Nintendo’s willingness to actively combat scalping—a problem that plagued the launches of several major gaming systems in recent years. With demand for the Switch 2 continuing to remain strong, Nintendo appears determined to keep the console in the hands of actual gamers.

Whether other regions will eventually adopt similar anti-scalping measures remains unclear, but for now Nintendo’s Japanese storefront is becoming one of the strictest examples of account-based purchase verification in the gaming industry.

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