The Nintendo Switch 2 launch is upon us, full of sound and fury, signifying the clickity-clack of a million Joy-Cons, and I'm rather enjoying it.
There aren't many tech gadgets that generate this kind of buzz, though I guess Nintendo can be depended on to create it. I still remember the Wii mania, and the original Nintendo Switch was no slouch in the "must-have department" either. That may be why, just hours before the official launch, I hustled uptown to the Nintendo Store in Rockefeller Center to take the temperature of the locals. Were they lining up for the Switch 2 even though Nintendo already set up a lottery system that said you could only buy one of the $449 consoles if your name was picked?
They were...sort of.
At the back of the line were a pair of live-streaming women dressed like characters from Super Mario Bros. They told me they usually streamed themselves playing games. I asked if they and everyone else were lined up for access to the console. The pair, who never paused the stream, laughed and explained that the dozens of gamers standing shoulder-to-shoulder on 48th Street were all in line for a chance to play Super Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2.
Under a broad white tent, more than a dozen gamers held controllers with cables that snaked to hidden Switch 2 consoles. The fact that no one could see the new hardware mattered not to the enthusiastic gamers who were all trying to navigate Mario's chaotic world on vibrant 42-inch displays.
Next to the tent, Princess Peach and Yoshi stood for photos, and die-hard Mario fans squeezed between them for a hug.
In contrast to the boisterous space outside, it was utterly calm inside the Nintendo Store, where a DJ played tunes and a pair of Nintendo Switch 2 display cases sat empty. I assume they were waiting until midnight to slip a pair of consoles inside.
The Nintendo Staff looked pleasant if a little on edge. I think they knew that the tenor might change at midnight, as desperate customers lined up, whether or not they had the special Warp pass.
My guess is some will be onlookers, hoping for a glimpse of the first Nintendo Switch 2 owner (maybe they all just want to high-five them). Others might be leftovers from the Mario games, still there, trying to win the race.
There was a purity to the whole scene. The excitement didn't feel forced; there were no hype-masters, trying to rile up the crowd in anticipation of the big day.
Nintendo may have hiked the price of the more powerful new console by $150 and is charging more for games, but I get the sense consumers don't care. They'll line up for this console and likely sing its praises, regardless of any shortcomings.
It reminds me a little bit of the original iPhone days. There was so much excitement, and no Apple employees there to clap and chant. Steve Jobs didn't even show up at the stores – he didn't have to. The hype was real.
While not as intense, this Nintendo Switch 2 moment feels like a launch from another time, and I don't know why, but that makes me happy.
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