From there on out, Nintendo lost control over the messaging of its products at launch.
But Nintendo was ready for the Switch 2 launch.
As we speak, retailers across the globe are receiving their Switch 2 stock in anticipation of the launch on June 5th.
As of this writing, there’s also video of the basic Switch 2 menus: The Switch 2 is out there, and there’s plenty of chatter around the leaks.
Unlike what transpired during most of the Switch 1’s lifetime, Nintendo seemingly has control of its launch plans for the Switch 2 — for now.
Nintendo’s first Switch may have been one of their best-selling systems ever, but the portable system might be a marketing nightmare. With the release of the first emulator for the Switch a year into its existence, piracy became rampant. Nintendo was no longer in charge of the messaging associated with the launch of its products after that. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and other classic games were leaked weeks in advance. Nintendo took swift action to bury the evidence, but the Japanese corporation was unable to stop all of the leaks.
Nintendo, however, was prepared for the release of the Switch 2.
In advance of the June 5th launch, Switch 2 stock is currently being delivered to retailers worldwide. There are pictures of Switch 2 boxes in backrooms all over the internet, and at least one retailer has left its Switch 2 inventory visible to regular customers.
Not surprisingly, this indicates that the future console is now in the hands of average people. A video of an unboxing began making the rounds on the internet in late May. Nintendo swiftly eliminated video uploads of the incident with the assistance of Web Capio, a business that specializes in anti-piracy services, despite the fact that there are many screenshots of this leak circulating.
Since then, the leak’s creator has stated that their console won’t work until June 5, the day of launch, and that they will need to update it before they can play anything. Additionally, some members of the press have been informed that they will not be receiving a unit because Nintendo is developing a day-one patch that would make it the first Nintendo system to require an internet connection in order to function. Given that 79 percent of homes have broadband internet, millions of people may not be able to use their Switch 2 right out of the box, according to the Pew Research Center. Although this problem might not last long because the update might be pre-installed in later console releases, some customers will need to take into account the day-one patch during the launch window. An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by Nintendo.
Other everyday people still have a good chance of obtaining a Switch 2 with one week to go before its release. For instance, images of what the Switch 2 packaging will look like are currently making the rounds from Russia. There is also a video of the basic Switch 2 menus as of this writing.
There is a lot of discussion about the leaks, and the Switch 2 is now available. However, practically speaking, seeing a few menus and no games in advance isn’t all that exciting. It would have little effect if games did begin to leak for any reason. The majority of games that will be accessible at launch are either already released in some capacity or don’t prioritize storyline. Being able to control someone a few days ahead of time in Mario Kart World is not the same as knowing who the final boss will be in a highly anticipated follow-up to one of the most influential games of the generation.
Nintendo appears to be in charge of its Switch 2 launch plans, at least for the time being, in contrast to what happened for the majority of the Switch 1’s existence.
