Why it's already gone
The Zelda 40th edition doesn't even ship until Oct 29, and it's been sold out for over a week.
It's the first special-edition Switch 2
The Switch 2 has been out since June 2025, and this is the first time Nintendo has given it a special design. Pair that with the 40th anniversary of Zelda and you get years of pent-up demand landing on a single pre-order day.
The price makes it an easy yes, too. The standard Switch 2 went up to $499.99 on Sep 1. The Zelda edition is $519.99, so the gold Triforce dock and green Joy-Con cost just $20 more.
Pre-orders vanished everywhere at once
Nintendo announced it on Sep 8, and pre-orders sold out almost immediately at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, Amazon and the My Nintendo Store. Kotaku suggested Nintendo is making the console in "apparent scarcity." Nintendo hasn't said how many it's making.
Scalpers moved in fast
Retail price for the console
eBay listings Kotaku found the week of launch
One full-set bundle TheGamer spotted on eBay
It isn't only markups. GamingBible reported a listing that sold a photo of the console for $400. If you're tempted by eBay, read listings very carefully, or better yet, wait for retail.
Is more stock coming?
Probably. Nintendo has confirmed restocks for UK fans and says they'll be announced through the Nintendo Store app. In the US, Nintendo's store pages say "check back soon," with no official restock announcement yet.
History is on your side. The Skyward Sword Joy-Con sold out of pre-orders in 2021 and got scalped at a 150% markup, and the Tears of the Kingdom OLED sold out on Amazon while other retailers still had it. Limited Zelda hardware sells out fast, but the first wave usually isn't the last. See the full history on the Releases page.
Sources: Notebookcheck, Kotaku, TheGamer, GamingBible, Nintendo Life, Nintendo (price change), Tom's Guide, GameSpot.