Have you still not been able to buy the Nintendo Switch? If you are still in the market, soon you’ll be able to purchase the Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 bundle in the US. The Japanese company announced Thursday that it would launch the Splatoon 2 bundle in North America on September 8th. However, the new bundle will be available exclusively at Walmart stores.
Image Credit: Nintendo.com (screenshot)
Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 bundle to cost $380
The Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 bundle has received a strong response in Japan and European countries. It will be the Switch’s first official bundle in the United States. The retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar, have already been packaging the console with games and accessories to sell them in bundles at higher prices. The Switch is still in short supply around the world.
The Splatoon 2 bundle has been priced at $380. It includes new Joy-Con controllers in Neon-Green and Neon-Pink, a download code for the Splatoon 2, and a carrying case. The Neon-Green and Neon-Pink Joy-Cons were previously unavailable in North America. The new bundle will be the US consumers’ first chance to get their hands on the new color Joy-Cons.
The pricing seems a bit odd, or maybe Nintendo itself want to sell the bundle at a premium. The Switch is priced at $300, and you can buy Splatoon 2 for $60. The Japanese company is charging customers $380 for the Splatoon 2 bundle. Nintendo may want an additional $20 for the new controller colors or it wants to capitalize on the fact that the console is still difficult to find in stores.
Currently, the US consumers can buy Nintendo Switch with gray Joy-Con controllers or with a combination of blue and red. The company has also launched yellow controllers, but they are sold separately from the system. It is not yet known whether the new Neon-Green and Neon-Pink controllers will also be sold separately. Nintendo has already been selling the colorful Splatoon 2 accessories in Europe and Japan. It may sell the controllers on their own in the US in the near future.
Nintendo Switch available on Amazon right now
Nintendo of America’s SVP of Sales & Marketing Doug Bowser said in a statement that the Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 bundle would give buyers “a great value and incentive to get splatting.” The company also revealed the topic of the next Splatfest competition, which is scheduled for September 1-2. Gamers will be able to pick sides in online Turf War battles. They can choose one of the two superpowers: invisibility or flight.
If you want to buy Nintendo Switch right away, it is currently available on Amazon. The Switch with gray Joy-Con is listed for $376.50, and the one with Neon-Red and Blue controllers will cost you $386.50. Both versions are selling at a premium over the regular price of $299. The console is eligible for free Prime shipping. Many other retailers have also announced that the Switch would be in stock this week.
Nintendo will soon take pre-orders for custom Switch units
While US consumers are still desperately waiting to get their hands on the console, people in Japan will soon get to pre-order a custom Nintendo Switch for themselves. Nintendo announced earlier this week that it would start accepting pre-orders for custom Switch units from 22nd August. The company did not reveal when it intends to bring similar offers in the United States.
Japanese customers who pre-order the console on August 22 will receive their units on October 1st. Pre-orders received after August 22 will be fulfilled later in October, promised Nintendo. It means those placing orders on August 22 are guaranteed to get the console in October. It’s worth pointing out that the customizations do not involve any changes in the console itself.
The custom options are for the accessories rather than the system. You’ll be able to choose from seven different colors for strap attachment and five different colors for controllers. It doesn’t sound like a huge customization, but it could be the first step in introducing major customization options in the near future, most likely during the holiday shopping period.
Given the fact that Nintendo Switch is still in short supply, Nintendo should focus on meeting the demand rather than offering major customization options. The company is selling the Switch as fast as it can make them. Nintendo had sold 4.7 million Switch systems by the end of June. It has increased the annual production target from 10 million to 20 million units to handle the potential demand during the holiday season, when consumer demand is expected to hit the peak.
Nintendo sued over the Switch design
Meanwhile, gaming accessories maker Gamevice has sued Nintendo for copying the design from its Wikipad gaming slate. Gamevice claims the Switch has violated a patent for concepts it had used in Wikipad. Nintendo Switch resembles Wikipad in appearance, and the Joy-Con controllers look similar to Gamevice’s peripherals that people can attach to their tablets or smartphones to play games.
