Nintendo Denies Amazon Removal Over Sales Dispute

When pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 first went live earlier this year, the console was available through several major U.S. retailers — with one notable exception: Amazon.com.

The absence of both the Switch 2 console and games on Amazon in the U.S. has been widely noticed, though the reason remained unclear. Now, Nintendo has officially refuted a Bloomberg report that claimed an ongoing dispute between the gaming giant and Amazon regarding third-party resellers.

As reported by IGN earlier this month, new first-party Nintendo releases have been almost entirely unavailable on Amazon.com over the past year — with the exception of a brief listing for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. That changed when Amazon began accepting pre-orders for the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza, starting June 17.

Still, the Switch 2 itself and other anticipated Nintendo titles — such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — are not yet available for order. IGN also noted that a previous Switch 2 product page has since been removed, replaced by a 404 error screen that sometimes features a dog named Bowser.

Bloomberg's report suggested that Nintendo intentionally limited product availability on Amazon to prevent third-party sellers from purchasing consoles in bulk from Southeast Asia and reselling them in the U.S. at lower prices.

In response to the risk of Nintendo withdrawing its products, Amazon reportedly proposed labeling games sold directly by Nintendo to help verify authenticity — but that offer was ultimately declined.

Nintendo, however, has denied Bloomberg's account. "There is no such fact," a company representative told Tom’s Hardware. "We do not disclose the specifics of our negotiations or arrangements with retailers."

Amazon has also refuted the report, calling the publication's depiction of its relationship with Nintendo "inaccurate."

"[Amazon is] pleased to offer Nintendo products directly to our customers as part of our commitment to providing an exceptional shopping experience with the widest selection possible," an Amazon spokesperson stated — though no explanation was given for why the current selection of Nintendo products on Amazon is not as extensive as elsewhere.

IGN has reached out to Nintendo for further comment and to inquire about the limited availability of its products on Amazon.com.