Nintendo Switch 2 draws long lines and excited gamers

For the crowds outside Nintendo’s store in New York’s Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, a long wait was well worth getting their hands on the new Switch 2 console.

Some camped out for hours, bringing their own makeshift waterproof tents and lawn chairs. Others stood in the line, which stretched several city blocks. A handful even dressed up as iconic Nintendo characters, including Luigi, the beloved brother and sidekick in the video game “Super Mario.”

“Really, it’s just all about the community and sort of sharing that love of Nintendo with each other,” said Lauren Hyde, who has been in line since she traveled from Maryland on Monday.

The Japanese gaming giant is releasing the coveted console Thursday, eight years after the original version hit shelves. The first iteration of the Switch was a major hit for Nintendo, selling roughly 150 million units, according to the company, making it the third-best-selling console of all time, behind the PS2 and the Nintendo DS.

The hype for the Switch 2 has been building for months, with Nintendo teasing a brief first look at it in January. With a bigger screen, better graphics and larger controls, the next iteration of the console has drummed up enough enthusiasm among gamers that many showed up early at stores like Best Buy and GameStop to pick up their units at midnight.

“We have a lot of wonderful products that create buzz,” said Jason Bonfig, Best Buy’s senior executive vice president in charge of customer offerings and fulfillment. “Switch is very, very special. They’re a passionate community.”

Bonfig estimated that 70% of Best Buy’s customers indicated they wanted to pick up their Switch 2s in-store, “and the vast majority of those customers will be there at midnight to do so.”

“Something about consumer electronics in general with that instant gratification is really important,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Store is selling units at midnight only to those who secured reservations on its website, meaning many lining up outside its New York City location were doing so mostly for fun.

Nintendo even warned in a message on its website that “delivery by June 5 is not guaranteed” for customers who had not already secured pre-order invitations.

Though consumers have been fatigued by high prices amid the ongoing global trade war, Nintendo said in April that it would not hike the price of the $449.99 device at launch.

There is also hope among some in the gaming world that the Switch 2 could spur the creation of new games and therefore new jobs. The industry has taken a hit in recent years after widespread layoffs affected many studios, and a performers strike has continued into 2025.

While some companies release consoles to reviewers early, Nintendo has remained quiet about many of the details of the Switch 2, holding off on review copies for gaming news sites like IGN.

Nintendo has not commented on how many customers have pre-ordered the Switch 2.