Gaming fans in London rush to buy new Nintendo Switch 2 before stock runs out
Gaming fans hit the shops early to ensure they could claim the new Nintendo Switch 2 before stock runs out.
Dozens of people, some dressed as characters from the Mario games, queued outside Currys in Oxford Street, central London, which opened at midnight for shoppers to claim their console, which the retailer is selling for £395.
The console has been highly anticipated by gamers following the release of the original Switch more than eight years ago in March 2017.
Zac Young, from Kingston, was the first in the queue to get his hands on the device.
It comes as Game cancelled pre-orders just days before release, while several other retailers sold out on launch day following the high demand for the product.
Nintendo has reportedly upgraded its expectation of sales by the end of the financial year from 15 million consoles to 20 million.
Fans in London hit the shops early on Thursday morning to be able to claim their console on release day.
Ray Reyes, 36, a nurse from Lincoln, said: 'I tried to pre-order and it was impossible to actually buy one.
'It just wasn't available online at all. Most of the sites said we had to pop into the store to actually get one.
'I think it's to discourage scalping, where people buy one online and then sell it on for a much higher price of like £600 because there's so much demand.'
Mr Reyes is visiting London to see Beyonce in concert with his boyfriend, Joseph Agra, 31, and the couple used the opportunity of being in the capital to buy the console.
Mr Agra, who works for a bank in Lincoln, said: 'There's that feeling when you're buying the console on the day of release. It hits a bit different.
'We're going back to the hotel to play it now, I'm quite excited.
'It should be a better overall performance. Although the graphics won't be the same as on a proper console, it should be a massive improvement on the original Switch.
'I'm also excited to see what other developers can do with it now it's out.'
Tony Gu, 25, a computer science student who lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was another who purchased the console early.
He said: 'I've spent almost 2,000 hours playing Splatoon on the original Switch, so I'm excited to buy the Switch 2.
'There was no stock online for pre-orders either in Saudi Arabia or the UK, so I've had to come here in person and buy it here.
'I bought Zelda, but I never played it on the original Switch as the performance was just terrible, so I hope it has improved.
'I also hope the graphics have gotten better. It's a bit frustrating because, in Japan, there's a Japanese-only version which can be as much as 70% cheaper.
'But given that I played Switch for thousands of hours I think it's worth it, but I still wish I didn't have to pay a lot.'
Simon Hudson, 44, a software designer from Perth, Australia, who has lived in London for 15 years said he bought two to play with his husband.
He said: 'I don't think it's hype bubble. I'm only picking it up today mainly because my husband's got a couple of games he's wanted to play that are coming out today, along with the release, like the new Mario Kart and Rune Factory.
'So he wants to be among the first ones on there. We've been playing that (Rune Factory) for 20 years, but the new version has come out alongside the Switch. So that's the main reason I'm here.'
Others have taken to social media to air their frustration.
Asked to post a comment about their favourite Nintendo character in order to enter a Currys giveaway for the console on X, one gamer replied: 'Dry Bowser as he is probably as rare as getting hold of a Switch 2 on release day.'
Another fan who managed to get hold of their console said: 'My Switch 2 pre-order is arriving right now. I survived the cancellation apocalypse.'
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Mario Kart World review - the final verdict on the Switch 2's biggest game
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There's much, much more that could be done with Mario Kart World but even if it doesn't change one iota from now until the Switch 3, it's still one of the best entries the series has ever seen. In Short: An excellent follow-up to Mario Kart 8 that takes the series into exciting new directions, although the open world element is surprisingly undercooked and almost irrelevant. Pros: Amazingly fun race action that feels substantially different to any other entry, especially in terms of the number of racers and the nature of the tracks. Knockout Tour is fantastic and the open world is incredibly well designed. Great graphics and music. Cons: The use, or rather underuse, of the open world is absolutely baffling, with very little of any substance to do in Free Roam. Unsatisfying unlockables in general. Score: 9/10 Formats: Nintendo Switch 2Price: £74.99 (physical) or £66.99 (digital)Publisher: NintendoDeveloper: Nintendo EPDRelease Date: 5th June 2025 Age Rating: 3 Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: When will the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite be released? MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 sales are breaking records worldwide claim insiders MORE: Xbox ROG Ally vs. Legion Go and Steam Deck: how do they compare?
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There are plenty of different assist options for kids and less skilled players, from motion-controlled steering to auto-acceleration and more: my eight-year-old could play without them, and my five-year-old was kept in the running by turning some of them on. It really is an impressively welcoming game, this, generous and detailed and unfailingly fun, different but with the same spirit. It feels like the culmination of something, a synthesis of different philosophies of fun that still nonetheless comes together. The Switch 2 itself does feel like a swish upgrade rather than an all-new console, so it's a relief that its headline game shows that Nintendo still has a talent for reinvention. Mario Kart World is available now; £74.99
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3 hours ago
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Nintendo Switch 2 review – more than good enough
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Cyberpunk 2077, for example, caps out at 1080p with the framerate at 30fps in Performance mode. In short, don't expect cutting edge PS5 Pro or PC visuals – we're looking at something between PS4 and PS5. The set-up is simple enough: switch it on, connect to the internet (via wifi or the ethernet port on the dock) and download an update. If you have a Switch it asks you to place it nearby, then copies across your user details and any games you own. The whole process took me about an hour and was completely painless, though beware – if you skip the transfer process, you won't get another chance later to port your stuff across from your original Switch. GameShare, which allows you to share compatible games with Switch or Switch 2 owners who don't have their own copy, is extremely easy too. I tried the local two-player option with Sega's lovely multiplayer puzzle battler Puyo Puyo Tetris. You simply choose the GameShare option from the game's main menu, while your friend selects GameShare from the Switch home screen; then the two seamlessly connect and you can start playing together. I'm interested to see how the feature holds up with more complex games, or with more players. For example, Survival Kids allows you to GameShare with two other consoles, which will put greater processing demands on the Switch 2 that's doing the streaming, and could therefore affect performance. For now, I was impressed, and it will work really well with forthcoming party game Super Mario Party Jamboree. GameChat, meanwhile, Nintendo's rather overdue version of in-game video chat, requires you to connect and confirm your identity via your smartphone, and then you're in. You can buy a Switch 2 Camera (£50) for this, but any old USB webcam will do. I think this may well prove a nice extra for close friends or families keen on playing together while apart; we'll have to wait and see if any forthcoming games make interesting use of it. There are some extra costs to think about. If you want to play with more than two people you may need another set of Joy-Cons, which will set you back £75, or a Pro Controller at the same price. (I tried out the officially licensed PowerA Advantage pad, which doesn't have rumble and only works in docked mode, but is a really sturdy option for Mario Kart sessions and very good value at £30.) A subscription to Nintendo Switch Online (needed for online play and, when the introductory offer runs out, GameChat) is £17.99 a year for one account, or £31.49 per year for your family. It's £34.99/£59.99 a year for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, which offers access to a large range of retro Nintendo games from all eras and any extra content for modern games. It's a decent price when compared with other gaming subscriptions, but still another expense to manage. Finally, you may need a microSD Express card if you start running out of space for new games on the built-in 256GB. A 256GB card will cost around £50. It all adds up. As for battery life, Nintendo is promising between two and 6.5 hours. I did a mixed test in which I played Mario Kart World, downloaded and played Hitman, and used GameShare and GameChat, and got about 3.5 hours, which is not bad. Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gaming after newsletter promotion Should you buy one? If you somehow missed out on the original Switch, absolutely yes – it's the zenith of Nintendo's quest to make a hybrid handheld/home console, with a wide range of launch games (though currently only one genuine exclusive must-have in Mario Kart World) and the promise of many glorious exclusives to come. If you already have a Switch, it's worth the upgrade if you can afford it – the larger display, the better controllers, the social applications, all make it worth the outlay. It's reignited lounge multiplayer in our house, my sons readily deserting their rooms to play Mario Kart together, and while this interest will probably ebb and flow, it's been nice to have that back. The one incontrovertible truth is that Nintendo's games cannot be played elsewhere. No smartphone, no PC, no Xbox or PlayStation will give you access to the full-fat Mario, Animal Crossing, Pokémon or Zelda titles, and it is exciting to imagine how those experiences will be translated to a new, beautifully crafted machine with a modest armoury of fresh features. Perhaps the design team at Nintendo were right not to call it Super Switch, but for the next few years, a Switch Pro equivalent is more than good enough. The Nintendo Switch 2 is available now; £395.99
