“The level of demand appears to be extraordinarily high,” remarked Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy.
In Tokyo’s Ikebukuro shopping district, numerous lucky participants from a sales lottery held by electronics retailer Bic Camera gathered before the store’s opening to pick up their devices.
“I feel like I’m about to cry,” expressed Yumi Ohi, a 30-year-old delivery contractor, to Reuters.
Ohi, who had previously missed out on other lotteries, traveled from Saitama prefecture, which is next to Tokyo, to claim her Switch 2.
Since its debut in 2017, Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch home-portable devices. It became a gaming phenomenon with popular titles like two installments of “The Legend of Zelda” and the COVID-19 breakout hit “Animal Crossing: New Horizons”.
The Switch 2 shares many features with its predecessor but boasts a larger display and enhanced graphics, launching alongside titles like “Mario Kart World”.
“The significantly larger user base of Switch players should lead to stronger uptake in the initial phase of its lifecycle,” stated Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis.
“Nintendo is more equipped this time to handle the high demand,” he added.
The debut of the $499.99 Switch 2 serves as a test for Nintendo’s supply chain management amid US President Donald Trump’s trade conflicts.
Last month, Nintendo projected sales of 15 million Switch 2 units within the current fiscal year, along with 4.5 million Switch units.
