In my household, I have two Nintendo Switch systems: my launch day Switch OLED, and the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Switch OLED edition. I love them all dearly, more than my PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Steam Deck. However, times are getting tougher, and I’m no quite sure I can continue collecting all modern consoles. Lately, I’ve been thinking of surrendering at least one of these Switch consoles to help me afford the Switch 2.
I’ve also considered selling off both Nintendo Switch consoles, but I have a nine-year-old that I’ve been passing down my Switches from. For example, when I purchased the OLED, I gave him my day one Switch (which has since been gifted to my partner’s child). Currently, I play on the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch, and he plays on the original OLED. I do have to ask the hard question of whether I really need to keep this up, and we rarely are playing our Switches at the same time. If that is the case, and I’m really hurting for money, how bad would it be for him and me to share one Switch?
With the Switch 2 launching at $450 USD (which I think is completely fair by the way) and the fragile economy causing eggs to cost $10 a dozen, I may have to start selling off older console generations. This is what I used to do when I was in college–selling off my original N64, PS2, and Wii. As an avid gamer and collector now, it hurts my mind, body, and soul that I did that. However, I did what I had to do to afford food and rent back in the day.
Nostalgia and collector’s mentality plays a role in my stubbornness to keep my Switches. If I regretted selling off my old consoles, won’t I regret selling these? However, will I even have as much nostalgia for the Nintendo Switch versus the consoles I played in my youth? I wish I had the answer to that, but I know that my sentimentality can get in the way of rational thinking sometimes. If I keep these Switches, what can I really do with it? My launch day Switch from 2017 can barely run–I’ve watched the kid who owns it now–and the device sounds like a plane taking off.
Because of these feelings of regret, I really am hesitant on selling any more consoles that I own, and yet, things are costing everyone more money. With that said, the dilemma would be whether or not to sell the Switch OLED and pass my Tears of the Kingdom OLED to my son, or sell them both, so I can own the Switch 2. Friends of mine recommend keeping both Switches.
Part of what makes this decision difficult is that the Nintendo Switch is incredibly versatile. Some families have Switches in various parts of their home or for family members. And given the fun multi-player experience, I can see the benefit of having multiple Switches within one family so we can all play games like Splatoon 3, Mario Party (several), Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and more.
Another challenge is the poor resale value for games and systems in general. While the market is hot for collectors, I feel that you need to be exceptionally savvy to make out like a bandit in selling a (relatively) modern console. You can forget about getting a fair price from large corporations like Game Stop, and smaller stores may not have the funds to give you a ton of money. If I paid $360 USD for my Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch, it’s painful to only receive $100 or so for it. Maybe my expectations are too high. But is it, really? The Nintendo Switch has been one of the most successful consoles in history, and it’s still very much in demand.
Thanks to Tom’s Guide, here is a break-down of what Game Stop is supposedly offering for trade-ins in exchange for a Switch 2 pre-order:
- Switch OLED: $175 credit
- Switch (V1 or V2): $125 credit
- Switch Lite: $100 credit
On eBay, I see listings for the OLED ranging in the $200s. Of course, this is if you get a bite.
Perhaps this type of decision may be an easy one for many people. There isn’t anything the Switch 2 offers that the original Switch hasn’t. While I am leaning more on selling one Switch and keeping the other as a happy medium, it makes for an interesting discussion for video game fans as to whether or not to keep aging consoles for the sake of nostalgia and affordability.
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Pow Block Podcast – A Nintendo Podcast by Boss Rush
Nintendo Pow Block is the weekly Nintendo Podcast for Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network. Each week, Edward Varnell and Corey Dirrig, as well as their friends from around the internet dive into the week that was in the world of Nintendo, including news, rumors, new games, discuss weekly pickups, and fan favorite segments like Question Block where they answer community questions, what they’ve been playing in Playing with Power, and their latest food quests in Snacktendo! New episodes every Monday on YouTube and podcast services.
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Source: Tom’s Guide
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