GAMESTOP GIVING AWAY SWITCH 2 CAMERA FOR $9.99! DON'T EVEN THINK TWICE

The Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, a first-party accessory that usually runs $55, is down to $9.99 at GameStop right now. You read that right. The discount is over 80% off the typical price, and it only appears after you add the camera to your cart. Nintendo's official clip-on USB-C camera has never been cheaper, and it's not even close.

Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy have mostly sold the camera at $55 since the price hike, with the occasional sale dipping a few bucks. This GameStop deal is the first time the accessory has dropped below $10. If you own a Switch 2 and have even a passing interest in video chat, this is the moment to bite.

you may like

NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS RESORTS BRINGS THE PARTY BACK, ADDS MORE

SPLATOON RAIDERS PRE-ORDER: $10 OFF AT WALMART, FULL PRICE ON AMAZON

I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST PHONE EVER

WHY YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY USE IT

The camera plugs into the USB-C port on top of the Switch 2 and works in TV, tabletop, and handheld modes. Its wide-angle lens captures large rooms, and a high-sensitivity image sensor automatically adjusts brightness. There is a built-in privacy shutter for when you don't want the lens exposed. All of that is fine, but the real utility lives in GameChat, the console's built-in voice and video chat system.

GameChat lets you see your friends while you play, and the camera is the primary way to get your face on screen. Nintendo knew this day one: it revealed the camera alongside the Switch 2 and made USB camera support a core system feature. The twist is that the Switch 2 also supports third-party USB cameras, which means the Nintendo-branded one was always the priciest option. At $55, it was hard to justify when a generic webcam would do the same job for less. At $10, that argument evaporates.

THE STAR FOX AFFECT

What actually makes the camera feel less like a toy and more like a tool is a software feature in Velan Studios' recent Star Fox remake. Buy that game, and you unlock eight character avatars for GameChat: Fox McCloud, Slippy Toad, and the rest of the crew. These are full motion-capture avatars that mirror your facial expressions and head movements in real time. You can be Fox while chatting with friends. That's genuinely fun, and it's the kind of use case the camera was made for.

There are only a few other games that lean into the camera right now. is a small indie title that uses it, and both have minigames that put the lens to work. The library is thin, but the Star Fox avatars are the killer feature for anyone who grew up on Nintendo's space saga.

WHY THIS PRICE MATTERS

A $55 accessory that only a handful of games use feels like a ripoff. A $10 accessory for the same thing feels like a smart impulse buy. GameStop might be clearing inventory or driving foot traffic, but the consumer wins either way. The usual caveats apply: the discount is cart-only, so don't be alarmed if the product page shows a higher price until you check out. And this is GameStop, so shipping times and stock availability can vary. But the deal is real.

what to read next

NEW JERSEY BILL FORCES LIDAR ON ROBOTAXIS, TESLA FIGHTS BACK

FRANCE HITS NINTENDO WITH €35Mn FINE FOR HIDING JOY-CON DEFECTS

RYAN COHEN'S GAMESTOP PIVOT: GAMES ARE 18% OF REVENUE AND FALLING

For anyone on the fence about the Switch 2 Camera, the calculus has changed. At $10, you don't need a library of camera-ready games to justify the purchase. You need one friend you want to video chat with while playing Mario Party, or a desire to appear as Fox McCloud on a group call. That's worth a ten-spot and a trip to the USB-C port. Grab it while GameStop still has them.