Nintendo’s new Switch 2 console is maintaining strong momentum from its summer launch, with pre-orders quickly selling out at U.S. retailers.
The $450 (approximately Rs. 38,450) device will launch on June 5 and is no longer available for order on Walmart, Best Buy and Target websites. According to posts on X and other social media sites, Nintendo fans reported that there were initial technical issues due to high demand, but many people were eventually able to order the system. Nintendo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The strong response in major markets sets the stage for what is expected to be the biggest console launch in history. Concerns about the price – which is $150 (approximately Rs. 12,816) higher than the previous Switch – and the bleak macroeconomic outlook have not dampened consumer enthusiasm for the long-awaited device. Domestically, Nintendo said its online store received 2.2 million applications for lottery sales.
“Switch 2’s launch week sales in Japan are likely to be between 800,000 and 1 million units,” said Toyo Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda. “This translates into about 5 million vehicles in the first week globally. This speed is unprecedented.”
Nintendo shares rose 3.3% in Tokyo trading on Friday, putting them on track for a third consecutive day of gains.
GameStop, the largest independent video game retailer in the United States, waited until stores opened around 11 a.m. New York time on Thursday to begin taking pre-orders, only to see long lines outside the store.
Four hours before a GameStop opened in Brooklyn, New York, a line formed outside. Some customers said they had tried purchasing a Switch 2 console online but had been unsuccessful in the digital queue. Physically more predictable. The sign on the door says there are 125 units available for sale.
Jeremy Gauthier, 27, said: “I was awake last night trying to pre-order at Target, Best Buy and Walmart. I couldn’t get a pre-order at any of them. My last hope was GameStop.”
Historically, GameStop has accounted for between one-third and half of U.S. hardware sales in the first few months of new consoles. Retailers are more on the radar of gamers than wider retail chains. GameStop appeals to consumers who want to buy older hardware for new consoles at cheaper prices. The company is offering credit of up to $175 (roughly Rs. 14,956 crore) to old Switch traders.
Nintendo has warned that the price of its products in the United States may rise in the future, but trends in the online market suggest that even if that happens to the core hardware, demand will remain strong. In Japan, some online sellers are selling the Switch 2 at a premium of 90,000 yen ($630, approximately Rs. 53,843) or more, similar to the phenomenon in 2020 when Sony Group’s PlayStation 5 quickly ran out of stock after its launch.
© 2025 Bloomberg
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