Earlier this week, a number of reports pointed to an exchange program for Nintendo Switch owners looking to upgrade from the original model. According to these reports, Nintendo would offer a free upgrade for those who purchased their Switch after July 17th, when the new model with improved battery life was announced. However, today the company says that these reports are untrue. In a statement to The Verge, a Nintendo spokesperson explained:
We do not have a Nintendo Switch exchange program. We always want players to enjoy their Nintendo Switch systems, and if anything ever gets in the way of that, we encourage them to visit http://support.nintendo.com for support, or to contact our consumer support team.
While the new model and the original look identical, there’s one major difference: battery life. According to multiple teardowns, the new model features between 4.5 and 9 hours of battery life, up from the 2.5 to 6.5 range of the original. Otherwise, the two devices appear the same. If you’re looking to pick up the new Switch, be sure to follow this guide.
Of course, there’s another new model of the Switch on the way as well, one with a much more drastic redesign. On September 20th the company is launching the Nintendo Switch Lite, a smaller and cheaper tablet built exclusively for portable play.
Comments
Makes sense.. Would be a crazy loss of money just to accept all those old models back to replace with new ones! What are they supposed to do with all the returned consoles now sat in a warehouse?
Though why they didn’t just reduce the price of the old ones once the new model was announced baffles me.. Would’ve helped clear out the stock and been fairer to buyers getting the ‘worse’ model
By scooby359 on 08.17.19 5:31pm
That’s a good point. Lower the original’s price to $250, sell this for $300. If there is still stock of the older models when the Switch lite comes out, then the $200, $250, $300 lineup would also look just fine on a shelf side-by-side.
By hittrj01 on 08.17.19 9:48pm
Presumably they could check them (they’d be under one month old) and use them for warranty cases where replacement units are needed, replacing any external bits as needed.
By Smigit on 08.18.19 7:14am
But technically there’s nothing wrong with the original model, and the moddability of it should make it valuable to some. It would make no sense for Nintendo to undervalue the original model just because a more efficient design on the same body has been released (to little to no fanfare)
By greg2k on 08.18.19 7:49am
Technically, there’s nothing wrong with the Wii U, but good luck selling that at the full retail price against the Switch! Shoppers will go for the newer model now, leaving old models sat on shelves.
By scooby359 on 08.18.19 12:24pm
But Nintendo isn’t marketing the revised Switch as a new model, so unless you’re in on the secret, how are you to know there are two different models? I’m sure Nintendo’s perfectly happy with people not noticing the difference, otherwise they would have called this New Nintendo Switch or something like that. Not even remotely similar to a generational change of hardware like Wii U to Switch
By greg2k on 08.18.19 5:02pm
It’s not a new device, it’s just got a slightly improved battery.
By ench on 08.19.19 11:39am
so why does the Verge still have the old, incorrect article up and placed even higher on the page than this one?
By Burgerman on 08.17.19 7:21pm
You know precisely why
By nTrophy on 08.19.19 8:56pm
This is not how you do a retraction, lol.
By iamnotafilmmaker on 08.17.19 7:31pm
The media reported something without confirming it true? I’m shocked.
By Porcupine-Tree on 08.17.19 8:55pm
The struggle to be the first.
By SpinMeAroundTwice on 08.17.19 9:33pm
It seems that some people are getting replacements, it’s just not an official program and may have been at the customer service centers whim.
By ench on 08.19.19 11:43am
"Of course, there’s another new model of the Switch on the way as well, one with a much more drastic redesign."
ALLEGEDLY.. this is 100% speculation at this point.
By eschwiz on 08.17.19 10:08pm
They’re talking about the Switch Lite, which they make clear by saying it in the very next sentence.
By BeeksElectric on 08.17.19 11:35pm
Yes
By eschwiz on 08.18.19 9:24pm
From the original Polygon article
https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/16/20809056/nintendo-switch-exchange-upgrade-new-battery-life
Plot thickens.
By ophh1 on 08.17.19 11:39pm
Not exactly. What that means is that there’s no official program, but customer service is likely authorized to do a courtesy exchange for those that qualify.
By xenon on 08.17.19 11:50pm
If Nintendo become generous that will be the news. That’s close to impossible.
By Doug. P on 08.18.19 1:39am
Now that’s the tight-fisted Nintendo we know and love. Lol
By texazzpete on 08.18.19 10:47am
Don’t most stores offer a 30 day price match guarantee? Even if they don’t, you have 30 days to return stuff and get your money back, at which point you could just turn around and buy the new model.
By JediTed on 08.18.19 11:52am
This isn’t always true on electronics which often have an open box charge for returns.
(I suppose one could claim the device isn’t working at which point you could request an exchange and hope for the better version.)
By brianericford on 08.18.19 12:40pm
14/15 days is more common in the States (at least with the big retailers like BestBuy), and some stores charge a restocking fee, or will refuse open-box returns.
By ench on 08.19.19 11:42am
I’m not surprised at the denial, they probably don’t want too many people to take advantage, but this has actually worked for people, so if you’re insistent enough and speak to the right rep I’m betting you can actually get an exchange. Might be a bit harder now after the news spreading though
By Iamjason on 08.18.19 9:23pm
I’m surprised they don’t extend this offer to the early, hackable Switches. One way to get them off the streets, innit.
By Miniaturised Jim, the Tiny Ribald Scot on 08.19.19 4:22am