Olivia Richman 
A potential leak suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 console will have a massive release in the literal sense, with a stock that will be able to meet demand and potentially fend off scalpers.
Scalping has been one of the most brutal parts of being a gamer in recent years. Scarcity issues existed from 2020 to 2023 regardless, but things were made much worse when bad actors created bots to instantly buy every Playstation 5 available. Nintendo is reportedly aware of that possibility and taking a very obvious step to fix it.
The company has been tight-lipped about the launch of its new console. Leaks, however, have continued to provide some possible looks at the console’s looks and features. Now a FamiBoards user is foretelling an uncharacteristically fan-friendly launch for the new console.
Nintendo Switch 2 leak suggests massive inventory on release
Nintendo is reportedly set to have one of the largest video game console launches in history for the Switch 2, with a massive stock of units.
A leaker going by ninspider, who previously leaked sketches of the console, shared an encrypted message on FamiBoards. ninspider made multiple posts that were later corroborated by other leakers regarding the hardware.
The message appeared like this:
VGhlIGluaXRpYWwgc3RvY2sgcXVhbnRpdHkgaGFzIGJlZW4gZmluYWxpemVkLCBhbmQgdGhlIGZhY3Rvcnkgd2lsbCBwbGFuIHByb2R1Y3Rpb24gYWNjb3JkaW5nbHkuIEkgY2FuJ3QgZGlzY2xvc2UgdGhlIGV4YWN0IG51bWJlciwgYnV0IGZvciB0aGUgVS5TLiBtYXJrZXQgYWxvbmUsIGl0J3Mgcm91Z2hseSAyLjUgdGltZXMgdGhlIHZvbHVtZSBmcm9tIE1hcmNoIDIwMTcu
Once decoded by other users, the message claimed that the initial stock of the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch has been finalized. While the leaker didn’t disclose the specific number, they claimed it would be around 2.5 times larger than the stock available March 2017 in the United States alone.
The shipment number for that month, the launch of the Nintendo Switch, was 2.74 million consoles. If true, it would mean Nintendo is planning to have nearly 7 million consoles for its launch period.
This tracks with previous reporting regarding the delayed release of the Nintendo Switch 2. Gaming news outlets reported in February that the Switch 2’s launch was changed from Q4 2024 to 2025. Among the reasons were plans to have a large stock on day one.
The supposed leak, of course, led to even more speculation from fans. Hopeful buyers wondered if the Switch 2 will launch with some massive titles in order to justify that inventory. On the other hand, others wondered if this would be enough to stop scalpers.
The Nintendo Switch had a notoriously awkward launch. The company struggled mightily to meet demand, due to a combination of factors. This included scalpers and Nintendo admittedly underestimating the early demand for the console.
Official details on the Nintendo Switch 2 remain almost non-existent. The company’s has only stated it will be revealed before the end of March 2025, and it will be backwards compatible with Nintendo Switch games. Fans can only hope that these prove to be true.
