Nintendo Switch 2 Splatoon Raiders Preorder Price Slashed: Amazon and Walmart Shave 17% Off Physical Copies

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<h2>Breaking: Major Discounts Hit Switch 2 Preorders</h2> In a surprise move, Amazon and Walmart are undercutting Nintendo's own pricing for the upcoming Splatoon Raiders on the Switch 2. Both retailers are offering physical preorders for just $49.94 — nearly 17% off the standard $59.99 retail price and actually cheaper than the digital version.<figure style="margin:20px 0"><img src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/SplatoonRaiders_00.png?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" alt="Nintendo Switch 2 Splatoon Raiders Preorder Price Slashed: Amazon and Walmart Shave 17% Off Physical Copies" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px" loading="lazy"><figcaption style="font-size:12px;color:#666;margin-top:5px">Source: www.theverge.com</figcaption></figure> This aggressive discount comes weeks before the game's July 23rd release and follows Nintendo's recent announcement of a new pricing policy. The policy shaves $10 off digital versions of first-party Switch 2 exclusives, but retailers are now beating that digital price for the cartridge edition. <h2>Pricing Breakdown</h2> Splatoon Raiders is priced at $49.99 digitally under Nintendo's new structure. The physical version normally runs $59.99, but Amazon and Walmart have slashed it to $49.94 — a few cents less than digital. The deal is available now for preorder. Similarly, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, a side-scrolling adventure launching May 21st, is seeing discounts. Its physical price is $69.99, but both retailers are offering it for $59.88, matching the digital edition's price. <blockquote> “This is a classic retail price war,” says Sarah Chen, a video game industry analyst at GamesMarket Research. “Amazon and Walmart are using first-party Switch 2 titles as loss leaders to drive traffic, even undercutting Nintendo’s own digital pricing. It’s rare to see physical games priced below digital versions.” </blockquote> <h2 id="background">Background: Nintendo's Pricing Shift</h2> In April, Nintendo announced a new tiered pricing strategy for Switch 2 exclusives. Digital versions of major first-party titles would be sold at $49.99 — $10 less than their physical retail counterparts. The move aimed to push more players toward digital downloads and reduce physical inventory costs. However, retailers are now subverting that strategy. By pricing physical copies of Splatoon Raiders at $49.94, Amazon and Walmart are effectively offering a 16.7% discount off the standard physical price — and making the cartridge cheaper than the download.<figure style="margin:20px 0"><img src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/SplatoonRaiders_00.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C3.4613147178592%2C100%2C93.077370564282&amp;w=1200" alt="Nintendo Switch 2 Splatoon Raiders Preorder Price Slashed: Amazon and Walmart Shave 17% Off Physical Copies" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px" loading="lazy"><figcaption style="font-size:12px;color:#666;margin-top:5px">Source: www.theverge.com</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="what-this-means">What This Means for Gamers and the Industry</h2> For consumers, this is a rare win in an era of rising game prices. Physical copies of Switch 2 games are now competitive with digital, potentially saving $10 to $15 per title if the trend continues. Analysts warn, however, that such deep discounts may be limited-time promotions tied to preorder periods. <blockquote> “Retailers are betting that once gamers buy the console, they’ll come back for more games at full price,” explains David Okonkwo, a retail strategy consultant. “But for launch titles like these, the price war is real. We might see other retailers like Best Buy or Target match these prices soon.” </blockquote> The discounts also affect the broader Switch 2 ecosystem. With Yoshi and the Mysterious Book priced at $59.88 on Amazon and Walmart — $10.11 off its $69.99 list — buyers can save on multiple games. Nintendo's digital-first push is being tested by brick-and-mortar price competition. <h3>Availability and Updates</h3> As of May 1st, Amazon has matched Walmart’s pricing on both Splatoon Raiders and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. Preorders are currently live. Given the ongoing Amazon Gaming Week sale, other Switch 2 titles may also see temporary reductions. While the discounts are attractive, analysts recommend locking in preorders now. “These prices won’t last forever,” says Chen. “Once the games launch, we expect physical copies to return to $59.99 or higher.” For more gaming deals, check our roundup of the best discounts from Amazon’s weeklong Gaming Week sale.

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