The midnight launch event is back: Photos show lines around the world for the Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo launched the Switch 2 at midnight on June 5, drawing crowds that waited overnight for the release.
The company said it expects to sell 15 million units in the current fiscal year.
Nintendo didn't increase the base cost of the console due to tariffs, but did boost the price of its accessories.
The global midnight launch event for tech gadgets has largely fizzled in recent years. After all, you can preorder the latest iPhone from the comfort of your home and have it delivered to your doorstep on launch day.
But with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 game console, more than eight years after the original drove massive sales, the midnight queues at brick-and-mortar stores came roaring back.
The Switch 2 launched globally on June 5, and people in many cities around the world lined up the day before for the chance to get their hands on the console as early as possible.
The launch is expected to boost the bottom line for big-box retailers like Target and Best Buy. Nintendo said it expects to sell 15 million units in the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2026. Wall Street analysts believe that number could hit 20 million.
Though Nintendo didn't increase the price of the base Switch 2 due to tariffs, it did boost the price of its accessories, including controllers.
Scroll on for a look at the lines around the world.
A line stretched down the block outside the Nintendo New York store.
Shoppers could be seen wearing red Mario hats.
Customers spilled into the parking lot outside a Best Buy in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
Buyers started filling their bags at midnight.
In San Francisco, waiting customers played games on their original Switches.
Buyers in Paris sprawled out on the floor as they waited.
Crowds in Paris waited into the night.
Customers in Tokyo filled local electronics retailers.
The packaging for the Switch 2 is similar to the original's — with Nintendo's red branding.
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