'No Work Today': Diehard Nintendo Fans Line Up Early For Switch 2

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Lisa Jones has been a Nintendo fan since the company's first major console, the NES, launched in the 1980s. 'I've actually had every system, including the Virtual Boy,' she says.
So, with Nintendo about to release its newest console, the Switch 2, Jones knew she had to own it on day one. 'I took the day off just to make sure I'd get one,' she told PCMag as she waited outside a Best Buy store, sitting on the concrete while occasionally stretching.
Jones was among the diehard Nintendo fans who began lining up outside the store in San Francisco, hoping to snag the console on launch day. The Switch 2 becomes available to consumers at 12 a.m. EST / 9 p.m. PST. But not everyone managed to snag a preorder, prompting some to fall back on the tried-and-true method of lining up in person.
'Yeah, I'm cold,' said Doonie Love, an actor and model who was first in line at the store. He spoke to us with his black hoodie pulled over his head as the San Francisco wind blew by.
Love began waiting at about 9 a.m. after failing to secure a preorder, which sold out quickly across retailers weeks ago. Although he's a Nintendo and Pokémon fan, he actually showed up to the Best Buy on a 'whim,' curious to see if people were lining up.
'There's no work today, I just needed something to do,' he said on deciding to wait in line. 'I just called someone to bring a jacket, chair, and burrito," he later added.
Others like Brad Reinke were ready to line up. 'I took the day off. Yeah, I was totally prepared to play video games all day,' he told us while sitting in his foldable chair and eating a pasta takeout order from DoorDash. 'We're here all night so I've got to get lunch and dinner in me.'
He too is a major Nintendo fan, and also bought the Switch 1 on launch day back in 2017. 'I'm a big collector and I'm probably going to buy everything they have on sale.' he said. While Reinke wasn't able to secure a preorder, he said he enjoys the experience of the 'midnight releases," which attracts other devoted fans. 'There's good company, everyone's here for the same reason, so we all have stuff to talk about,' he said.
Meanwhile, another consumer named James Gualtieri was prepared to work remotely while waiting outside the Best Buy, carrying his laptop and a Wi-Fi hotspot. 'I was in a (remote) meeting for half an hour, chatting with folks,' he said.
We visited the Best Buy at around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, where the line for customers without preorders was relatively small, at about 10 people. As a result, it looked like all the consumers had a strong chance of scoring the console on launch day. But Gualtieri told us Best Buy staff wouldn't commit to confirming if everyone in line would come away with the Switch 2 since the retailer also has to prioritize preorders.
'At the end of the day, it's not the end of the world if I don't get one,' he said after already waiting for two hours. Fortunately, Gualtieri's workplace is located next to the Best Buy store. 'If I can't get one, I'll try to get in line tomorrow morning. I would really love to get one before the weekend,' he said.
Meanwhile, others like Jones said it was important to snag a Switch 2 soon, rather than wait, citing the risk of Trump's tariffs raising the price. 'Get it while you can,' she said, noting Microsoft recently increased the price for its Xbox consoles.
Best Buy isn't the only location in San Francisco to offer the Switch 2 for tonight's release. Nintendo's official store in the city opened last month and is slated to sell the console as well. But the product will only be available to lucky consumers who were able to snag a preorder, or 'warp pass.'
Hours before the sales were set to begin, the store held a prelaunch 'celebration' event, giving fans a chance to demo the Switch 2. The event attracted a long line of over 80 people when it began at 1 p.m. Several Nintendo fans also dressed up for the event, including a consumer named Annie, who cosplayed as the Zelda character, and said 'I came here from Mexico.'
"When I was a child I play the Nintendo so much with my friends," Annie added, while also showing off a Zelda tattoo.
Another consumer named Greg H. also looked forward to tonight's launch, having scored a warp pass to buy the Switch 2 from the official Nintendo store in San Francisco.
'There is this nostalgic factor of waiting up until midnight to pick up the console,' he said while standing at the prelaunch event with a Nintendo N64 bag. 'There's also a communal aspect, where you meet a lot of people with the same interest.'