It is still unclear when the Nintendo Switch 2 will be launched. The technical specifications are also still a secret. What is now clear, however, is that old games for the Nintendo Switch will run on the successor console. The trade in used games, including Gamestop, could benefit from this.
Stationary retailers are having a hard time with the change from selling physical game boxes to pure digital downloads. The console providers dominate the market through their own online shops, lure customers with bargains, and link the console experience directly with shopping. There are hardly any shorter routes. dispensing with drives Both with the new Xbox Series X and most recently with the Playstation 5 Slim, show where the path has been heading for a long time – and is still heading. Nintendo Switch Games could not only be installed via cartridges, but also downloaded and played digitally. Nintendo's new backward compatibility feature could boost the trade in used video games again.
Nintendo Switch 2: Used games are valuable again
Yes, the numbers initially speak against physical games: modules and discs are dying out, but it will still be a while before digital downloads have really replaced the boxes. According to an analysis by the German Game Association, purchasing games via download is becoming more attractive every year. Around 40 percent of all console sales are now processed digitally, and 98 percent for PCs.
The Nintendo Switch, however, is a kind of Gallic village. Fans of the hybrid console ensure that the share of digital sales in the console sector is not even greater. The current split is around 50:50. Every second game for the Nintendo Switch is sold as a physical boxed version. This emerged from the annual report in early summer 2024.
Digital games are becoming more and more relevant, but it is Nintendo fans who appreciate boxes. This is exactly what Gamestop could ultimately benefit from, provided that the announced backwards compatibility of the Nintendo Switch 2 is comprehensive. No other brick-and-mortar retailer relies on second-hand games as widely as Gamestop. Fans could therefore get to know the stores as good places to buy older games - and perhaps even take a step back to buying locally.
The core feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 is excellent: the retail chain never tires of emphasizing how valuable it can be to actually own purchased games. The retro idea that has been communicated so often recently also fits in with this. The Nintendo Switch 2 in combination with the fans' passion for physical games could ultimately prove to be a real win for Gamestop.
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Nintendo Switch Console Neon Red/Neon Blue* |
279,00 EUR |
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| 2 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World* |
489,00 EUR |
||
| 3 |
|
Nintendo Switch (OLED model) Neon Red/Neon Blue* |
327,95 EUR |
||
| 4 |
|
Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe* |
49,88 EUR |
* = Affiliate link/advertisementAs an Amazon Associate, we earn money from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase through one of the links, we receive a portion of the purchase price as commission. This doesn't cost you anything extra, but it helps support our website. Last updated on September 15.01.2026, XNUMX / Affiliate links / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. Images from Amazon PA API.
