How Nintendo Switch 2 Will Affect Used Switch Game Prices - A Milwaukee Seller's Guide

The Pattern from Previous Console Transitions

When a new console launches, used game prices for the previous generation typically follow a predictable curve:

1. Announcement effect: Small initial dip as some sellers rush to liquidate before prices drop further
2. Launch day: Moderate price decline as buyer attention shifts to the new platform
3. 6-12 months post-launch: Stabilization as the remaining Switch audience continues to buy used games for a platform they still own
4. Long-term: Gradual decline as the Switch audience shrinks and the library ages

The key variable: how many Switch 2 titles are backward compatible with the original Switch library - and whether popular Switch titles get remasters for the new platform.

Titles Most Likely to Drop in Value

Games at the highest risk of price decline are those most likely to get Switch 2 ports or remasters:

• Zelda: Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo's flagship series always gets remastered for new hardware
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - the next Mario Kart is expected on Switch 2; when it arrives, MK8D prices will fall
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - a Switch 2 Smash announcement would immediately soften current prices

These aren't certainties - they're risks. If you're holding any of these and you're done playing, now is a reasonable time to sell at current prices rather than wait for uncertainty to play out.

Titles Most Likely to Hold Value

Games that have a strong collector base, no obvious sequel coming, or a large enough installed user base to maintain demand:

• Pokemon Scarlet/Violet - the Pokemon collector base is resilient and the games will remain in demand regardless of Switch 2
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons - already priced lower; further downside is limited
• Indie titles and limited releases - often become more collectible as the console ages

The Milwaukee Angle

For local trading specifically, price drops from a new console launch are usually slower than online markets. National eBay prices respond to news quickly because millions of sellers adjust listings overnight. Local markets move slower - which means Milwaukee sellers have a window after major Nintendo announcements to sell at pre-announcement prices if they move quickly.

CartridgeBond's reference prices reflect current local market rates. We update them periodically as conditions change.

What to Do Right Now

If you have Switch games you're done playing and you've been holding off on selling: the window of maximum value for the most popular titles is now, before Switch 2 launch and before potential remaster announcements. $50 for Tears of the Kingdom today is better than $35 in 12 months if a Switch 2 version is announced.

If you're buying: used Switch games remain excellent value even with Switch 2 on the horizon. Most households will have a Switch for years after they buy a Switch 2, and the library is enormous. Don't let Switch 2 FOMO stop you from enjoying the existing catalog at fair prices.