Fans Flock at Midnight as Nintendo Switch 2 Hits Stores

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been released globally, with retailers opening at midnight to let fans get their hands on the highly anticipated device as soon as it becomes available.

Some stores sell the gadgets off the shelf, but in most cases, buyers have picked up consoles they had ordered in advance, with UK retailer Currys declaring it its "biggest gaming pre-order ever."

Despite the excitement, there have been some difficulties, like Game cancelling some pre-orders.

In the United States, Nintendo temporarily suspended Switch 2 pre-orders in April due to tariff worries before resuming them a few weeks later.

There are also concerns about the Switch 2's ability to duplicate the success of its predecessor - the third-best-selling system in history - due to hefty game prices.

A physical edition of its most popular game, Mario Kart World, costs £74.99, which is £15 more than a regular Switch title.

The early signals, however, indicate that there is a lot of customer interest.

Currys informed the BBC it had sold 30,000 units, citing the "incredible excitement" surrounding the launch.

'It is a major thing.'

The original Nintendo Switch has sold over 150 million units since its release in 2017.

A successor has been in the works for years, so Tushar Sandarka, President of the University of York's Mario Kart society, is among those who are looking forward to the release and the new version of Mario that will accompany it.

"It's coming out with Mario Kart World - which is the first since 2014 - it's a big deal for us," the student, who is 19, added.

"Securing a pre-order was a difficult option due to the high cost.

"Even if it's a bit higher than I would have wanted to pay for it, it's going to serve me well for the next 7 or 8 years."

However, not everyone interviewed by the BBC stated that they planned to purchase the console when it was released.

Mae and Lottie, both York students, indicated they would stick with the original Switch due to the cost.

"It's quite pricey," Mae admitted. "What we've got is fine."

Lottie consented but expressed disappointment that she would not be able to participate in the new Mario Kart game, which she claimed could cost her "a day's pay".

"I'm not spending that on a game," she explained.

For Nintendo, the Switch 2 signals a shift in strategy; previously, new devices were given new names.

"It's a clear proposition for consumers - they know exactly what they're getting from this console if they are familiar with the original Switch."

She stated that "everything is pointing to" pre-orders being sold well.

"When pre-orders first went live, it was an absolute scramble to find any stock, but Nintendo was clearly prepared and since those early weeks, it's been a lot easier to secure yourself a console for launch day," she recalled.

It's a solid release lineup.

I was one of the fortunate few to get my hands on the Switch 2 at an event in April.

It, like its predecessor, is a "hybrid" console, meaning it can be used as a handheld device as well as plugged into a television to play on a large screen.

However, it boasts a larger and brighter screen, as well as significantly greater processing power and storage.

It still boasts some innovation: you can use the controller as a computer mouse by spinning it on its side, which makes PC games like Civilization VII more pleasant than using joysticks.

However, many of the Nintendo games showcased at the event, such as Metroid Prime 4, Donkey Kong: Bananza, and Super Mario Party Jamboree TV, would not be available at launch.

Instead, the only new Nintendo game on the new platform will be Mario Kart World, except for a minor title called Welcome Tour, which shows off some of the latest hardware.

"It might seem like an odd bet, but with the original Mario Kart 8 being the best-selling Wii U game and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe being the best-selling Nintendo Switch game, there's a very established audience there," Mrs Loveridge said.

The gaming behemoth will also release on day one enhanced versions of the Switch's Legend of Zelda games, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, that take advantage of the console's increased capability.

Aside from that, gamers will have to seek third-party titles for options at launch.

The selection of games includes Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Cyberpunk 2077, and Bravely Default.

"This more powerful console offers plenty of opportunities for third-party game publishers, bringing Nintendo into more direct competition with Sony and Microsoft," said Katie Holt, Ampere Analysis' senior games industry research analyst.

Fans may also expect more from third-party games as the console evolves, with Nintendo senior director Takuhiro Dohta predicting that games will improve even further.

"When there are software titles set for the launch of the hardware, the developers still don't fully know the capabilities and hardware well enough," he told me.

"As developers continue to develop, they start to understand how it works and what it's capable of, so I think we can expect improvements not only in graphics but in gameplay too."