I am part of the problem. If there’s a new console, I want it.
This isn’t a new development. I have a long and slightly embarrassing history of waiting in lines and even selling entire game collections just to pay for the latest machine. During the pandemic, I did everything I could to get my hands on a PS5 and an Xbox Series X.
I once made my wife camp out with me for a PS3—a system I ultimately had to return because I would have lost money selling it on eBay after the fees. My Dad even got involved, going to Target daily to check for PS2s and later spelling me in line while I was waiting for an Xbox 360.
But this time, with the Switch 2, things were supposed to be different.
We haven’t been playing as much Nintendo as we used to. The kids each have their own gaming PCs now and can play whatever they want. Plus, there wasn’t a lot of excitement around the launch titles. I figured I’d try to order one, but I wasn’t following the release that closely.
I learned that Nintendo would be offering the system directly from their own site, so I signed up for the pre-order notification. That gave me a false sense of security, figuring that at some point this year, I’d get an email and be able to buy one directly.
I tried to keep an eye on the release dates for major retailers, but I dropped the ball. I woke up the morning after pre-orders went live to see everyone online complaining about their experience. Still, there was a glimmer of hope: GameStop was having its drop the next day. I proceeded to waste two hours trying to get my hands on one, even reaching that dreaded point of having it in my cart, only to watch it vanish before I could check out.
At this point, I had given up. Mario Kart World Tour was the only major launch game, and my kids have finally gotten old enough to not be desperate for the latest system. Which is weird, since I never reached that age.
I’d occasionally check in-stock trackers, but there was no sign of anything becoming available. Then, I heard that stores would have some units on release day. Unfortunately, we would be on vacation, nowhere near any retailers. It seemed my fate was in Nintendo’s hands, and I’d have to wait for that email.
Release day came, and while I wasn’t upset about missing out, I started browsing Reddit to see what people were saying. I stumbled upon a post saying Costco had a page up to buy the console. The post was eleven hours old, so I figured there was no way it was still live.
To my shock, I could add the Mario Kart World bundle to my cart. I rushed through checkout in a blur, and before I knew it, a confirmation email hit my inbox. I was convinced something was wrong—I must have accidentally ordered an original Switch bundle, or maybe it was being shipped to an old address. I went back and read the Reddit post more closely and realized what happened. The page itself had gone live around midnight, but the buy button wasn’t working. The most recent comments, from just ten minutes before my purchase, were the first to announce that the deal was actually live.
Somehow, I had just lucked into the best deal of the entire launch. For $525, I got the Switch 2, Mario Kart World, and 12 months of Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack—a bundle with an MSRP of $580. It was even delivered overnight to our house for free.
When we arrived home from our vacation two days later, it was waiting for us. We set it up, and before long, we were all experiencing the strange delight of a cow driving a go-kart.
