Nintendo Pulled Products from Amazon US Over Pricing Dispute, Missed Switch 2 Launch

Mario & Luigi Brothership

Nintendo has quietly withdrawn its products from Amazon’s US storefront following a dispute over unauthorized sales.

The issue reportedly stemmed from third-party sellers listing Nintendo games and hardware in the US at prices below the company's official retail rates. According to Bloomberg, these sellers were sourcing products in bulk from Southeast Asia and reselling them on Amazon’s platform, undercutting Nintendo’s pricing strategy. As a result, the Japanese gaming giant chose to stop selling directly through Amazon’s US site.

Signs of a rift first appeared last year when Nintendo’s listings began vanishing from Amazon’s US catalog. Products that once bore the “Sold by Amazon” label — indicating they were sourced directly from Nintendo — were replaced by listings from independent third-party sellers. While Nintendo merchandise remained available, its direct partnership with Amazon seemed to have quietly ended.

To address the issue, Amazon proposed tagging official Nintendo products with authenticity labels, a practice it uses to combat counterfeit goods and reassure buyers. However, this gesture reportedly fell short of Nintendo’s expectations, leading the company to withdraw its offerings completely.

Despite the behind-the-scenes tension, Nintendo's Switch 2 has seen a wildly successful debut. Launched earlier this month, the console sold over 3.5 million units globally in just four days — the strongest console release in Nintendo’s history. While retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and GameStop stocked the system in US stores, Amazon was conspicuously absent from the launch lineup. The omission didn’t go unnoticed by fans, with many voicing their confusion and frustration on social media.

Though Amazon is offering the Switch 2 in markets like Canada, the UK, and Japan, US customers have had to look elsewhere. That’s significant, considering the US makes up about two-thirds of Amazon’s overall sales.

It’s not the first time a major brand has taken issue with how Amazon manages its third-party marketplace. Other companies, including Apple and Nike, have previously clashed with the platform over counterfeit concerns and lack of control over product presentation. In Apple’s case, a 2018 agreement led to stricter enforcement, banning unauthorized resellers of refurbished Apple gear.

Interestingly, there are signs the relationship between Nintendo and Amazon may be thawing. Pre-orders for Nintendo’s upcoming title Donkey Kong Bananza recently appeared on Amazon’s US site under the “Sold by Amazon” tag — a possible indication of renewed talks. Still, as of the latest update, the Switch 2 itself remains unavailable through Amazon US, and the retailer doesn’t appear on Nintendo’s official list of authorized sellers for the console.