It’s Gaming Time: Players, and Retailers, Relish the Arrival of Nintendo’s Switch 2

Gamers can finally get their hands on Switch 2.

Nintendo was set to release its first new console system in eight years at midnight, capping off months of excitement—and some apprehension, as Americans looking to snag one of the souped-up systems weathered delays and a competitive pre-order process. Those who managed to buy a Switch 2 online before it hit stores are celebrating, as are retailers anticipating a rush in foot traffic now that they have the system in stock.

Nintendo fan Jesus Garcia, who planned to pick up his preordered console at Best Buy (BBY) early today, told Investopedia he was excited to see “the new experiences” embedded in Switch 2. Garcia, who lives in Texas and supervises a claims team for a trucking company, said he’d planned to take the day off to play the newest “Mario Kart” game.

Best Buy planned to keeping stores open late and hand out commemorative coins with the Switch’s logo, according to its website. GameStop (GME) started celebrating the release at 3 p.m. Wednesday, with “interactive demos, giveaways, and Mario Kart-themed surprises,” the company said in an email. Target (TGT) said it would use tickets to manage traffic in its electronics section.

Garcia stayed up late to place a preorder in late April, a transaction he said took more than half an hour. Other consumers weren’t so lucky, and complained that retailers’ sites crashed or quickly sold out. The preorder process was delayed domestically by about two weeks so Nintendo, which is based in Japan, could assess the U.S.’s new tariff policies.

“I really hated it because it was a sought-after product, and I wanted to make sure I got one,” said Garcia, adding he was “getting nervous.”

The new Switch model has an enhanced audio system and a bigger screen, Nintendo said. Controllers magnetically attach to the side of consoles and can be used like a computer mouse, according to the company. To boost performance, Nvidia (NVDA) developed a chip “unlike anything we’ve built before” for Switch 2, the chipmaker’s CEO Jensen Huang said.

Nintendo anticipates selling 15 million Switch 2 consoles before its fiscal year ends in March. The company sold 10.8 million of the original model last year. 

Retailers hope to capture—and capitalize on—the hype. Target wants to be “the retail destination for all things Nintendo Switch,” Chief Commercial Officer Rick Gomez said on a recent earnings conference call.

Best Buy believes the release will bolster business, executives said last week. JPMorgan cited the impact of Switch 2 in a note that concluded Best Buy stock is “worth the risk.”