Nintendo Switch 2 release thrills gamers nationwide

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Gamers are cashing in on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Nintendo fans and gamers rushed to stores to grab the newly released gaming console. 

The console officially released on Thursday at midnight with a price tag of $450. That did not stop the lines of people ready to pick up their preorders or snag the last consoles available for purchase.

One longtime fan from Lancaster said he fell in love with gaming at a young age

“I’ve been a fan of Nintendo from day one,” Kyle Coon shared. “I started playing the NES, the original Nintendo, when I was 5, not knowing that I was gonna play video games every day for the rest of my life.”

Roller coaster tariffs at the time of Nintendo’s April presentation of the console initially sparked fears the company may have to delay the launch; however, pre-orders were only delayed by a few weeks so the company could assess the impact.

The first generation came out in March 2017, and after nearly a decade of waiting, gamers are finally excited to get their hands on the Switch 2.

“I’ve had the first switch since the release of that one back in 2017,” Aaron Demharter said excitedly. “I was there for the day it came out as well for that one.”

Stores like the Just Press Play mega store in East Lampeter Township are having a hard time keeping them on the shelves because of the anticipation and dedication of fans like Aaron Demharter, who have waited so long.

“They have more online availability with like game chat and stuff like that, which I think is a big part, which helps just make more fun for everyone, especially online and in person,” Demharter added.

The draw for many gamers, store manager of Just Press Play Zachary Son said, is the console’s portability and convenience.

“It’s easy to access. You can take it on a plane, you can take it anywhere you want to go, and it’s just such a more powerful console, and I think the games are going to be fantastic.”

Son explained that getting the consoles in large quantities to compete with the high demand is challenging.

“It’s very tough getting allocated the right amount for our clientele,” Son expressed. “We are constantly fighting. We’re the little guys, you know, big box stores like Best Buy and Walmart, they can you know, thousands of them we’re getting like a handful at a time.”