Hundreds of hardcore video gamers waited in hours-long lines from Wednesday into Thursday for the newest Nintendo game console, the Switch 2.
Large crowds could be spotted waiting outside several electronic stores, including Best Buy and GameStop, on Union Square since early Wednesday morning. Bringing camping chairs and dressing in Nintendo apparel, the first in line spoke to amNewYork about why it was important for them to pick up the console at midnight.
“I’ve been a Nintendo fan since I was a little kid growing up, it was the only system that I ever had, and I’m really excited for the Switch 2,” Jason Araujo said as he waited with hundreds of others outside of Best Buy.
Araujo wore a red tie with the letter DK embroidered on it in yellow, which refers to the beloved Nintendo character Donkey Kong.
While Araujo says that he has loved these games and their family-friendly protagonists since he was a child, he told amNewYork that he wanted to be among the first to get the console due to the high demand.
“There was a lot of high demand for the system, so much so that when the pre-sale orders went live, it crashed the servers for Best Buy, Target, GameStop — it crashed all of them, and it took me about two hours to finally get my order in, and then I had my orders canceled on target,” Araujo said.
Meanwhile, mere blocks away at GameStop, the store transformed into a Super Mario wonderland with cardboard cutouts featuring the gaming system’s beloved mascots such as Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Mario, and more. They also featured two gaming stations for attendees to compete against one another.
Participants threw their hands in the air with cheers when players showcased their best moves on Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros, while others posed for photos celebrating the release of the system. Some even came dressed in Mario-themed costumes to vie for a chance to win free Nintendo games.
Outside, a line of over 200 fans eagerly awaited their turn to obtain the Nintendo Switch 2 after many shared their failed pre-order attempts and fear of it running out of stock. As the line continued to grow from the evening and well into the night, GameStop entertained guests with Mario trivia for an opportunity to earn raffle tickets, which could be exchanged for free games such as Splatoon 3, t-shirts, a Nintendo hat, and more.
When the clock struck midnight, shouts could be heard along Union Square akin to a New Year’s Eve celebration, but this time for the hottest gaming console on the market.
Sophia O’Connell was among the very first on the line, arriving at 8 a.m. with the aim of staying until the clock struck midnight.
