Thousands queue at midnight for Nintendo Switch 2 release
EB Games stores across the country were jammed packed last night as people rushed to buy the new Nintendo Switch 2.
The original Switch is currently the third highest selling console of all time, and today marks he release of the brand new Nintendo Switch 2.
People of all ages have already sold out first wave pre-orders at most stores worldwide, and are stretching to prepare for the first fully brand new traditional Mario Kart game in 11 years, while parents are girding their loins (and wallets) to brave the shopping gauntlet at Christmas.
But, for the uninitiated, let's dive into why the Nintendo Switch 2 is a big deal, what's new, what's weird, and why it's so gosh darn expensive.
What's so special about it?
First up, the Nintendo Switch is a game console that can be both docked at home connected to a TV, and taken around as a portable console.
In old fashioned terms, it's the answer to both the Nintendo 64 and the GameBoy.
The Nintendo Switch 2 does everything the Switch could do, and adds better graphics, a larger screen with a higher refresh rate for smoother motion, Joy-Con controllers that can also be used as mice, a new focus on Game Chat, allowing players to see and talk to people on their friends list, newer fancier games, and a higher price tag.
That Game Chat feature allows players to plug in an external camera to video chat with other people while they play games, making it easier for families to stay connected overseas, and for bosses to come up with innovative new ways to make budget meetings interesting.
People can also use the camera to play games using motion controls
Daniel Cusumano, General Manager of The Gamesmen games shop in Sydney, said that he thought the reason why the Switch 2 was such a big deal was because of the relationship people have with the brand. 'Nintendo has been around for over 100 years, and they have the strongest
IP lineup of any competitor with Mario, Kirby, Zelda and Donkey Kong. All of their IP titles seem to be extremely popular.'
Selling out
While the Switch 2 is big news for Nintendo players looking forward to new instalments of their favourite games, according to Ron Curry, the CEO of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association in Australia, a new console is actually good news for all gamers. 'Any time a new piece of hardware comes into the market it invigorates the category altogether and invigorates consumers and developers, too.'
His prediction is that new and interesting hardware will lead to new and interesting games that hopefully players will enjoy, while giving the other console making companies inspiration for the future.
At first, there was some skepticism that the Switch 2 might be too expensive, given the price tag of $699, compared to the original Switch OLED's current price of $539 (generally found discounted for under $500).
However, sales of the Switch 2 look to be strong, with initial preorders selling out across most stores.
Cusumano told News.com.au that he'd initially been sure that he'd have stock left to sell on launch day, but preorders outpaced his expectations.
However, unlike the PlayStation 5, which was difficult to find in stores for a year after it was released, he says Nintendo has significantly more stock available and consoles should be easy to find soon.
Launch titles are always a major factor in the initial success of a console, and Nintendo is coming out swinging.
Although many of the hotly anticipated games will be coming out a little after launch, the heaviest hitter is Mario Kart World Tour, which is the first full new traditional Mario Kart game since Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U in 2014.
It's the biggest Mario Kart game yet, with all the tracks interconnected, and players able to free roam around the open world in a new mode, or between races.
Bigger still, races allow for up to 24 players at a time, with the new Knock Out Mode (which eliminates four players at each checkpoint) being delightful chaos.
Other major launch titles include Cyberpunk 2077, Street Fighter 6, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, and upgrade packs for The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and other popular Switch 1 titles.
Looking ahead, anticipated games coming soon include Donkey Kong Bananza (17 July), Kirby. Air Riders (later this year), Drag X Drive (winter 2025), AFL 26 (2025) and Hades II (2025).
Accessory sales are also expected to be strong, with gamers using this as an opportunity to upgrade headsets, as well as get new controllers and compatible cameras.
Dean Katsimalis, Marketing Manager for ANZ at Steel Series, says that this is going to be a big year.
'With the current economic situation, people are going to be looking for value in their purchases, and spending more time choosing carefully.
'I think the majority of the market will be looking for budget-friendly accessories, but given the price point, I think we will also see lots of people purchasing premium products that are compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2.
'Steel Series is currently number one in Australia for gaming audio, so I think we're well positioned to meet that demand.'
Given the console's focus on Game Chat, Katsimalis thinks that gaming headsets will be the most popular accessory after extra controllers.
The brand released the new SteelSeries Nova 3 Wireless headset yesterday in anticipation of the Switch 2 launch for $199, with the Arctis GameBuds as the premium option for $359.
Popular gaming accessories brand Razer is also prepping for the launch with a push of the Barracuda X Chroma headset.
Other accessories expected to do well are SanDisk MicroSD Express memory cards to expand storage, Nintendo Pro Controllers, USB-C cameras, and screen protectors and cases from companies like 3rd Earth and Power A.
The high price of the Switch 2 is influenced by a few factors, primarily that everything is more expensive now, but also the novel pieces for the console that make it stand out, like the new magnetic controllers that double as mice.
Many of the people I spoke to pointed out that the Nintendo Switch 2 is still considerably cheaper than an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5.
The centrepiece of the Switch 2 is connecting people through gaming.
We saw during the lockdown era how important games were for keeping people connected through games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
It's beautiful to see a console concept built entirely around the way games help you meet new friends and spend time with family separated by distance.
According to Curry, playing together is one of the things that makes us human.
'We know that play builds culture and connections, which is incredibly important,' he said.
'We see people to continue engaging with games because that's what we've always done.
'We've been playing together as a culture for millennia, this is just a new way of doing that.'
As for how the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to sell, that's largely up to gamers if they want to buy it and game developers if they want to create engaging games for it.
Nintendo has a history of follow ups to successful consoles with an added gimmick that's more expensive not going well (specifically remembering back to the Nintendo Wii which sold over 101 million units, compared to the Wii U, which sold 13.56 million).
Having now spent a lot of time with the console, I hope it's embraced by both gamers and developers, because it has so much potential to do amazing things.
At the moment, the Switch 2 is projected to sell 15 million units in its first year, already outpacing the Wii U.
It'll be interesting to see where it goes from there.
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