Nintendo Switch 2 launches with high demand and long queues in Tokyo
Gaming fans flocked to stores for the global launch of Nintendo's new Switch 2 console, with demand running high for the upgraded device. In Tokyo's Ikebukuro shopping district, dozens of lucky lottery winners queued outside electronics retailer Bic Camera to collect their pre-ordered consoles.
'I feel like I'm going to cry,' said Yumi Ohi, a 30-year-old delivery contractor who traveled from nearby Saitama Prefecture after missing out on previous sales lotteries.
The Switch 2 retains the hybrid design of its predecessor but includes a larger screen and improved graphics. Nintendo is launching the console with titles like 'Mario Kart World' and expects strong early adoption due to the established base of Switch users. 'The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its lifecycle,' said Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis.
Since launching the original in 2017, Nintendo has sold over 152 million Switch consoles globally. That momentum, driven by hits such as 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' and two 'Legend of Zelda' titles, has created high expectations for the Switch 2. The company reported receiving 2.2 million applications for its sales lottery in Japan and saw U.S. retailer Target sell out pre-orders in under two hours.
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed plans to strengthen production capacity and exceed the sales forecast of 15 million units this fiscal year. Analysts project lifetime Switch 2 sales could top 100 million by 2030. Despite some concerns over the limited number of first-party launch titles, fan excitement remains high. 'Given it's a special occasion, I wanted to buy the Switch 2 right away,' said Shinichi Sekiguchi, a hotel receptionist in his thirties.
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