When details of the Nintendo Switch 2 were officially shared by the Japanese games company, one major point stood out for those looking to get extended storage space for the handheld console hybrid. And it was the fact that, in order for games to be able to run on expanded storage, the device needs to be using specifically microSD Express cards. That didn’t seem to deter prospective Switch 2 users in Japan. In fact, microSD Express cards flew off the shelves as a result.
Japanese site Hermitage Akihabara reports that prior to the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2, microSD Express cards were so unpopular that they were barely sold. Fast forward to after the announcement, and they were sold out “not only in Akihabara shops but also on EC sties nationwide”, per machine translation. The outlet cites data from its own online store Asubic, which was selling microSD Express cards at a rate of 5.63 cards a minute, or 337.62 cards an hour.
Noted to be interesting by the report was that most buyers – around 80% – ordered only one microSD Express card. There were a few that got three, at the most. So it doesn’t seem like there’s much scalping going on, if at all.
That being said, the sudden high demand for the already pricey microSD Express cards – of which few were in circulation previously – would lead to an increase in price once the next restock happens. Though the number of cards in circulation would probably improve, as licensed versions also start showing up, with Samsung being named specifically in the report.
(Source: Hermitage Akihabara)
