The current shortage of Nintendo Switch consoles is frustrating many and it seems resellers and bots are partly to blame for the current situation.
Over the last month or so it has become extremely hard to find and buy a Nintendo Switch. Part of the reason it has become so tricky to snag a Switch is a lot of folks are staying home and want to play games like Animal Crossing. But another reason the consoles are nearly impossible to buy is thanks to an easy to use and totally free bot that allows people to buy dozens of Switch consoles at once.
This information comes from a recent Motherboard article. They also report that this easy to use bot is called “Bird Bot” and is an open-source and totally free bot developed to buy up items from online stores the second they are back in stock. The creator of the bot originally built it and uses it for sneakers, but it has become the backbone behind a growing community of resellers who are using it to snatch up hundreds of Switch consoles the moment they are back in stock. The community has even set up a large Discord server where they share tips and photos of their haul.
The resellers are able to flip some of these consoles for $500 or more, with some Animal Crossing themed Switch consoles selling for more than $700. A Switch normally costs around $300 to $350 depending on the bundle and store.
The full report from Motherboard also explains that many of these resellers are using the recent stimulus checks that many in the US have received to help buy more Switch consoles and are hopeful folks with more money will be willing to pay their higher prices.