The Nintendo Switch 2 launch revives the thrill of midnight queues, reminiscent of major gaming events from the noughties. However, this excitement is markedly muted compared to the past, as most gamers now prefer digital copies. The only UK shop participating in a midnight launch is Smyths, while only a few stores in the U.S. confirm similar plans. The stark decline of midnight launches is evident, as seen with the once extravagant, orchestrated launches of games like Halo and Call of Duty.
There was a time when certain shops would resemble nightclubs at about midnight: a long queue of excitable people... discussing the excitement that awaits inside.
Even in the States, the home of frenzied launch-day consumerism, only Best Buy and Nintendo's own stores in San Francisco and New York have confirmed midnight openings.
More and more players were buying digital copies of games, which meant they could download and start playing them straight away without leaving their homes.
This is a stark contrast to the noughties and early 2010s... video game launch events for titles such as Call of Duty, Halo and Grand Theft Auto were supported by thousands of stores around the world.
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