Thursday morning Nintendo posted its official sales plans for Black Friday. The list of discounts and deals includes the Nintendo Switch andMario Kart 8 Deluxebundlefor $299,99, sold at retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart. Below the listing, Nintendo’s posted some fine print for the bundle. The fine print confirms that the bundle includes the original Nintendo Switch model “HAC-001.” This is the model that Nintendo replaced during summer 2019 in favor of an improved version of the console.
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The decision to resell the old Nintendo Switch model for Black Friday, or perhaps simply sell old stock of the original Black Friday bundle, is certain to frustrate holiday shoppers aware of the issue. Thenew Nintendo Switch model, model number “HAC-001 (-01)”, offers 50% more battery life than the original Switch model. The new Switch also has updated internal hardware, including a new antenna that theoretically improves online connectivity. To say the least, a new Nintendo Switch owner would very obviously want to get the new model and not the old one.
Nintendo reselling the old Nintendo Switch Black Friday bundles with the old console model wouldn’t such a big issue but for one fact: the bundle is full price. The inclusion of a free copy ofMario Kart 8 Deluxeis absolutely worth acknowledging. But considering the bundle still costs $299.99, the same price as the new Nintendo Switch model, it’s reasonable to assume at least some buyers would prefer the new model over the bundle due to the hardware differences and battery life. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely mostBlack Friday shopperswill be familiar with the difference.
Forholiday shoppersfamiliar with the issue, here’s how to tell if you’re buying the old model of the Nintendo Switch or the new model with improved battery life. The clearest evidence will be the model number itself, but it’s only referenced on the console’s back. In-store, the best way to tell is the Nintendo Switch’s packaging. The old Nintendo Switch box shows someone’s hand placing the Switch into its dock with a grey/white background. The new packaging has no hand and features an all-red background.
There doesn’t appear to be a Black Friday bundle for the new model of the Nintendo Switch or theNintendo Switch Lite.
