Chinese gamers are snubbing the local version of Nintendo Switch in favour of imported consoles
- Online peddlers are hawking imported Switch consoles for almost twice the price of the domestic Chinese version
- The Chinese Switch, launched by Nintendo and local gaming giant Tencent, supports only three games so far
On Chinese e-commerce sites Taobao and JD.com, the average asking price of a new Switch is upwards of 4,000 yuan (US$566), almost twice the console’s recommended retail price of US$299.99. In contrast, the Chinese version which hit the shelves in December last year can still be purchased from official sales channels at its regular retail price of 2,098 yuan (US$296), with no apparent supply issues.
(Taobao is an e-commerce platform operated by Alibaba Group Holding, the parent company of the Post.)
On the second-hand market, a used regular Switch often still goes for at least the recommended retail price, while many gamers are selling their fairly new China Switch consoles at only 1,600 yuan (US$226) on Taobao’s second-hand goods site, Xian Yu.
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Tencent and Nintendo did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.
An internet firewall divides gamers playing online multiplayer games on the Chinese Switch from regular Switch owners, preventing the two groups of players from interacting. As China requires games to be approved by the government, the Chinese version of Switch currently supports only three games – New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
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The lack of support for multiplayer smash hits such as Animal Crossing has dampened consumers’ interest in the Chinese Switch, said Liao Xuhua, an analyst at data consultancy firm Analysys.
The banning of the game in China has further soured the mood among Nintendo gamers who were hoping that regulations for games compatible with their Switch consoles would be relaxed. “The owners of the domestic version of Switch probably feel too sad to even shed a tear,” one Chinese netizen wrote on consumer gadget forum SMZDM. “Now with even Animal Crossing being removed, who would dare to promote the domestic version?” another commented.
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“Animal Crossing brings into focus the problems with the Chinese version,” Liao said. “Its widespread popularity has made even an average gamer aware of the Chinese version’s shortcomings.”
Ma Xiao, an analyst from New Times Securities, also said Chinese consumers are not taking to the domestic version of Switch because it has limited titles and updates are slow. “China still has some restrictions and constraints in place – it requires the platform holder Tencent to continuously make adjustments for compliance,” he added.
Nintendo and Tencent are working to bring more games to the Chinese Switch but the progress has been slower than expected, Liao said.
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was supposed to be available weeks after the Chinese version was launched, but it arrived almost an entire quarter behind schedule,” he said. “This has put a dent in consumer confidence about the line-up of games potentially coming to the console.”
