Tonight is the official launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, a console people have been waiting for years to arrive. Some publications and influencers received theirs one day early, but for the rest of the world, tonight is the first opportunity to play it. And for a lot of the people in this line, that means they’re willing to wait a little longer.

It’s a big day for Nintendo fans. The gaming giant’s new console, the $450 Switch 2, arrives on store shelves globally after being announced in April — marking Nintendo’s first major console launch since the original Switch arrived roughly eight years ago.

F ollowing a delayed preorder period caused by President Trump's tariffs, Nintendo launched its Switch 2 videogame console on June 5, 2025. This is the gaming giant's first brand-