Thrilled gamers packed sidewalks from Tokyo to New York early Thursday, forming long lines hours before stores opened to get their hands on the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2.
After years of speculation and demand, Nintendo’s follow-up to its eight-year-old console finally arrived in stores worldwide. Hoping to turn around a slump in sales, the company is banking on the Switch 2’s upgraded specs and new social features to attract a new wave of gamers.
In Japan, fans like Koji Takahashi were lucky to get access. While he missed out on Nintendo’s official lottery — which drew 2.2 million applications — he was selected in a second-round draw by a major electronics retailer.
“I feel very sorry for those who weren’t successful in the lottery. But I also had a tough time getting this far, so I hope they forgive me!” Takahashi said. He arrived four hours before opening to claim his console and hoped to snag exclusive accessories too.
The U.S. had its own chaos. April’s pre-order phase left many fans frustrated after rapid sellouts. On launch day, eager buyers gathered outside major retailers for a chance at any extra inventory.
“I’m just rolling the dice here,” said Edgar Huo, waiting in a 25-person line outside a Target in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood. Some customers had online orders, but others, like Huo, hoped for walk-in availability.
Photos from around the world show crowds lined up in front of Nintendo’s Rockefeller Center store in New York, Target stores in Chicago and Tokyo, and a pre-launch event in San Francisco, where fans previewed Mario Kart World on the new system.
Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser told CBS Morning Plus that supply will continue to flow throughout the year. “We have a steady supply of manufacturing that will be coming in, and we believe we’ll be able to meet that demand all the way through the summer, through Father’s Day and then on into the holiday period also,” Bowser said.
The Switch 2 features a larger, higher-resolution screen, faster processing, and smoother graphics. A major addition is the new “C” button on the controller, enabling GameChat, a voice and screen-sharing feature tied to Nintendo’s online service. It includes a built-in microphone, letting players talk and play together.
Retail pricing in the U.S. starts at $449.99, a significant jump from the original Switch’s $299 launch price. The increase is partly attributed to new U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump, which caused Nintendo to delay pre-orders to assess the impact.
Nintendo expects to sell 15 million units of the Switch 2 by the end of March 2026.
To mark the launch, Nintendo is also releasing new Switch 2 editions of The Legend of Zelda titles, along with upcoming Pokémon and Kirby games. Third-party developers are also preparing new content for the system.
For many, it was more than just a product launch — it was a celebration.
At the San Francisco event, Darren Stallcup and Nicholas Oehlberg, both from the city, joined others in testing the new console. Oehlberg documented the moment as the crowd played together, capturing the excitement and camaraderie of launch day.
(AP)
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