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STORY: Nintendo’s new Switch 2 gaming console hit store shelves in Japan on Thursday.
And the early signs are that the Kyoto-based firm could have another hit on its hands.
The company says it got 2.2 million applications for a lottery to secure one of the early units.
In the U.S., pre-orders at Target sold out within two hours.
This fan says she failed to win a slot in the lottery, and then struggled to find any available at a store, eventually succeeding at this Tokyo branch of electronics retailer Bic Camera.
Nintendo enjoyed huge success with the original Switch, selling 152 million units so far.
Now the new version looks very similar, but has a bigger screen, improved graphics and controllers that stick to it with magnets.
It’s been priced at around $450 in the U.S., and the company predicts it will sell about 15 million units over this financial year.
Serkan Toto, the boss of consultancy Kantan Games, says demand appears to be sky-high.
He says it could be months before you can just walk into a store and expect to find one available.
Investors appear equally bullish, with Nintendo shares up almost 30% this year and close to record highs.
However, analysts will be watching to see if the sales momentum lasts once hard-core Nintendo fans have all got a Switch 2.
Some observers also say the roster of games available at launch isn’t as strong as it could be.
This buyer says he’s happy some games from Sony’s PlayStation 5 are now coming to the new Switch, but would like to see more such transfers.
And, looming over all such regular considerations, is Donald Trump’s trade war.
If tariffs rise sharply, that could leave Nintendo with a test of how it manages supply and pricing for its new console.
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