The Japanese video game company Nintendo has launched its first major piece of hardware in eight years. To much fanfare, the much-anticipated Switch 2 console was released last Thursday. It is the follow-up to its hugely popular predecessor, the Switch, which sold 152 million units worldwide. The new console can be used as a portable handheld device or as a tablet. It can be connected to an external display. It comes with two controllers, a power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, a dock, and two wrist straps. It comes bundled with 25 games, including an enhanced version of the smash success Mario Kart World. Nintendo expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year to March 2026.

Gaming enthusiasts queued for hours outside stores worldwide, clamouring to get their hands on Nintendo's new system. In Japan, the consoles were sold via a national lottery that got around 2.2 million applications. In Tokyo, winners of the draw lined up at dawn outside an electronics store. Switch fan Koji Takahashi, 39, said: "It's fantastic that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play." Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery, but undeterred, he went to the store's release event to savour the experience. He said: "I took a half-day off work because I desperately wanted to try the Switch 2." The console has a hefty $449.99 price tag, but fans say it is worth the money.