TOKYO, June 5, 2025 — Long lines formed outside electronics retailers across Japan on Thursday as Nintendo launched its highly anticipated Switch 2, a next-generation gaming console expected to face global shortages due to intense demand and limited supply.

The $499.99 device, which builds on the runaway success of the original Switch, features a larger screen, enhanced graphics and a slate of new titles including Mario Kart World. Despite similarities to its predecessor, analysts expect stronger early adoption thanks to Nintendo’s broader user base and improved supply planning.

"The level of demand seems to be sky-high," said Serkan Toto, founder of Tokyo-based consultancy Kantan Games.

In Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, dozens of fans who won access through a sales lottery lined up outside Bic Camera before the store opened. Yumi Ohi, a 30-year-old delivery contractor, traveled from nearby Saitama prefecture to pick up her console.

“I feel like I’m going to cry,” Ohi said. “I’d lost out in other lotteries, so this means a lot.”

Nintendo, which has sold 152 million units of the original Switch since its 2017 debut, expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 units this fiscal year, in addition to 4.5 million remaining original units. The original system rose to prominence with titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which became a cultural phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo’s president, said the company is ramping up production and investing in sales promotion to exceed forecasts.

"Nintendo is better prepared this time around," said Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. “The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its lifecycle.”

Still, retailers worldwide are struggling to meet the crush of early demand. Nintendo said it received more than 2.2 million applications for its sales lottery through the My Nintendo Store in Japan. U.S. retailer Target reported that pre-orders sold out in under two hours.

“You are looking at weeks or months until you can walk into a store and buy a Switch 2,” Toto said.

Customers braved long waits to be among the first. Shinichi Sekiguchi, a hotel receptionist in his thirties, said, “Given it’s a special occasion, I wanted to buy it right away on release day.”

The Switch 2's release also serves as a stress test for Nintendo’s supply chain. Though the company weathered U.S. trade tensions under President Donald Trump, it now faces the challenge of maintaining momentum beyond the initial wave of hardcore gamers.

Ampere’s Harding-Rolls cautioned that some casual users may delay purchases due to a relatively thin lineup of first-party games at launch. The firm predicts Switch 2 sales will surpass 100 million units by 2030.

Meanwhile, game pricing has sparked debate. Mario Kart World launched at $79.99 in the U.S., raising questions about how much consumers are willing to pay. However, longtime gamers like Akitomo Takahashi, a salesman in his forties, were unfazed.

“I have been around since the Super Nintendo days,” Takahashi said. “Games were expensive back then too. It’s still within a reasonable range.”

Takahashi said he was especially looking forward to playing Elden Ring on the new device, reflecting a growing appetite for third-party titles that complement Nintendo’s proprietary offerings.

With shares near record highs and up nearly 30% this year, investor confidence in Nintendo remains strong. But sustaining demand beyond the initial surge may determine whether Switch 2 can match — or surpass — its predecessor’s longevity.