The Chinese leaker who posted CAD images of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 claims to have a functioning unit for sale. The mysterious seller (via Reddit) allegedly offers the unreleased next-generation console to an accessory manufacturer for about $39,800.
The design from the leaked CAD files seems to have been used by Dbrand and other pre-reveal Switch 2 accessory manufacturers. The leaker would seem to be the most legitimate source, as the console's final design in its reveal video perfectly matched the Dbrand-corroborated leak. Nonetheless, we still recommend treating the information with some salt.
The leaker, who uses the Xiaohongshu forums, told the interested buyer that he or she could experiment with the Switch 2 dock, joystick, and tablet. He also claimed that Pro controllers would become available next week, potentially Nintendo's follow-up to its official Switch Pro peripheral.
Chinese CAD model leaker shows a screenshot of his DMs with a black market seller, saying the prices for the Switch 2 dock, joycons, and tablet will cost him $39,780 from r/NintendoSwitch2
So, will he cough up the dough to access a complete pre-release Switch 2? It may depend on how much money he can make from the endeavor. Full early access to Nintendo Switch 2 hardware could help several cases and peripheral manufacturers— legitimate or otherwise— get an early crack at the hardware and make appropriate accessories for their purposes.
Of course, dealing with stacks of cash like this on the black market, it would seem likely that our CAD design leaker would also demand quite a healthy sum from any prospective Switch 2 flash cart (or other unofficial accessory) manufacturer for each session with such a high-value piece of hardware.
After all, there's no other reason for someone to want a pre-release Nintendo Switch 2. Games enhanced on Switch 2 will likely need Pro-console-esque patches to enable the functionality. Of course, no Switch 2 games will become available, even in physical form, until much closer to the release date. However, the console, especially if it will be shipping with the same out-of-box operating system, seems quite open to the potential of pre-release exploitation and development, considering the details of this story.
Hopefully, Nintendo will confirm a proper release date soon. However, it would be funny if that release date were so far in the future that this early buyer's purchase would be irrelevant.
