Over the last few weeks, Nintendo's revised Nintendo Switch console with improved battery life has been appearing in stores worldwide. You can tell the difference thanks to the new, bold red packaging, and while many won't feel the need to upgrade, there are plenty of Switch owners who have been trying to get their hands on one.
As it turns out, the new Switch revision appears to be pretty popular in Japan. Japanese site Ninten-Switch has reported that various Japanese retailers have been selling out of the new model, including Amazon Japan, Rakuten Books, 7-Eleven, Yamada Denki, and Bic Camera. Indeed, taking a quick look on Amazon Japan reveals that it doesn't expect to be able to ship the revised model for almost a week due to its initial shipments being snapped up by eager customers.
Luckily, grabbing a revised Switch in the west is somewhat easier, but the situation does make us wonder how the Switch Lite's launch later this month will fare. We don't imagine it'll completely sell out in the west (at least, we hope it won't) but perhaps Japanese fans will have a harder time getting one. You may recall that when the original Switch launched, Japanese customers had to enter into lotteries just to have a chance at buying one. Hopefully the same doesn't happen here.
Have you picked up the revised Switch model? Do you have any intention on doing so, or are you happy with the performance of your original Switch? Let us know with a comment below.
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[source ninten-switch.com, via nintendosoup.com]
Comments 37
No idea why, I have lived in Tokyo for 8 years and have seen maybe 3 swiitches in the wild. Compared to the height of the 3DS when you'd see them constantly on trains and could fill your 10 streetpass hits in minutes, if you focused on it you could easily have racked in hundreds a day.
Everyone here just plays trash mobile games in public now.
In The Netherlands gamestore Gamemania has a great trade-in offer, I traded in my 2,5 (so out of warranty) year old Switch for a brand new improved one for just 75 euros...
In my local Gamemania every unit they got in was already reserved for a customer so I was happy I preordered as well.
@Djrr-ific Great deal, but then you also lost TV connectivity.. Perhaps you only usef it as a portable, then you don't miss out.
@Ventilator I think he's saying he bought the revised switch, not the lite
@Djrr-ific thats a great deal:)
till when is the offer?
@kepsux I live in Hikone, Shiga and I see Switches "in the wild" all the time here and around the Kansai region and Kyoto and Osaka.
Well, if a blog site says they are, then they must be.
@kepsux It's the same in the United States. Switches are being sold everywhere, but where are they!?
I'm torn between buying s Switch lite as my travel Switch (I play essentially in portable mode), replace my current Switch with the improved model or just wait for the Pro which will likely come out next year with the new Zelda. I'm basically torn between all possible options haha
Not enough of a difference for me to upgrade. I'm still convinced we're gonna see a more powerful model in the next year or two.
@MasterJay @Ventilator
Jup, revised one, not the Lite. (:
Situation is the same in Denmark.
It's technically been on shelves for weeks, but it's never in stock anywhere, and most retailers charge you more than the regular version.
Since MSRP isn't a thing here, price of a Switch had been dropping steadily since launch. So. Slightly revised version comes out, and it's an excuse for retailers to jump the price back up. Can't blame 'em.
But. Eh.
@PALversusNTSC
I believe untill the 15th of September. But sometimes they do extend these offers..
I upgraded for dirt cheap at gamestop ($225 trade in cred). If not for the battery life( which was the sole reason i wanted it), I needed a new set of joycon anyway and i had some gs credit so all and all I paid like $20 bucks. Well worth it even if you only need a set of joycon.
@Djrr-ific Ahh. Sorry.
@MasterJay Sorry. You are right.
I'm so hot after pretending to be a gardenerer around my house that i read wrong.
I am picking up mine tomorrow 😀
@Heavyarms55 Tokyo people are too snobby to be seen playing games in public, perhaps. Hahaha.
The Switch lite is mostly going to skew toward younger gamers who would previously get a 3DS or 2DS from their parents. For everyone else, people are going to spend the extra $100 and get a larger display, detachable joycons, TV docking, and most importantly, a much longer battery life for portable gaming.
Anyone not surprised by this....not me..
@kepsux I live in Osaka (not in Osaka City city proper but close to KIX, closer to Wakayama than Osaka) and I see plenty of Switches around.
Perhaps it's a Kanto vs Kansai kind of thing? lol
I play my Switch in docked mode most of the time I never have time to play when I'm out of the house ., It would be nice if Nintendo would start another StreetPass for Switch like the 3DS had and kinda still has. I would be more likely to take mine outta the house.
I can't say that I blame them. The battery life is much better. Wait until the Switch Lite comes out. Retailers will have a hard time keeping it on shelves.
Thought Japan never played docked.
I plan on getting the revised model, but I also don't have a Switch quite yet. If I already had one, I doubt I'd be bothered about upgrading; I suspect I'll use it in docked mode a lot of the time.
I’m tempted by the revised model as the battery life is much better but think I’ll hold out to see if a pro model surfaces...
September will be a strong month for Switch, that's for sure.
@sixrings
That's the point though. The battery life is much better. For when the system isn't docked.
@maruse when I was in Japan a year ago, I was amazed how few switches I saw. Especially on the Metro near Tokyo, everyone was on their phones. And it was eerily silent in the train. Gotta love Japan
Been playing SPlatoon on my New Revised Switch and it's Super cool! ( basically the fan doesn't need to switch on lol )
I would lose money to get the new Switch model so don’t see the point just for a better battery and I’ve got a couple of quality power packs anyway.
As for the Switch lite it will probably sell out over here as kids will want it and it’s a cheaper option.
I would rather stick with the original and wait until Nintendo release a Pro model - which in time they must.
@CreepyNoodles,
Just because the console has an handheld mode does not mean the masses actually take the console out and use it,sometimes a feature of a console can sell by the virtue of you could do this,rather than you will actually do this,people like myself will use the Switch in docked mode and then use the console in handheld mode,while still at home.
@kepsux I find that hard to believe. I've been to Akihabara and Shinjuku more than once and the people in those areas didn't seem that way at all. Maybe in the wealthier, more business/government areas that could be the case.
@Heavyarms55 Wow, more than once? You must be an expert!
@kepsux I don't claim to be an expert, just that I've been there a few times and am not just going off of hearsay or some random internet article.
@graysoncharles yea i've been to those places at least 3 times so i am the expert
Just wanted to let everyone know that the new SKU does not prevent drifting. Yes the Joycon's innards may look a little different; I've had the new SKU for two weeks and mine are drifting.
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