As many of you know, the world is currently in the midst of another big Switch shortage due to factors related to the ongoing Coronavirus situation.

While the shortage itself is bad enough, there is another powerful force out there making it even more difficult for gamers to pick up a Switch legitimately in these trying times: Checkout Bots. These automated bots are specially programmed to scan through big-name retailers for Switch listings, and immediately start purchasing as many as possible so that they can be sold off again at a higher price by resellers.

Apparently, the bot used to purchase Switches for resale is so popular that there are Discord servers where scalpers boast about their Switch hauls and how much money they are making off of them. However, regular buyers are obviously not so enthused by their actions, and one fan even went as far as to build his own Switch out of spare parts in order to avoid being price gouged.

That said, for fans who aren’t as dedicated or tech savvy, all they can do is hope that the shortage ends soon, or that major retailers take further action to take action to discourage the use of bots on their platforms.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.