Chart: How retailers should approach the Nintendo Switch 2 launch

Since 2020, gaming retailers have had to make do with updated models such as the PS5 pro and hardware add-ons like VR headsets in lieu of new console releases. Launches of hyped new games has kept momentum up, but 2024 was a bit of a dry year.

So much so, that Very recently cited the lack of major games as a reason for a 4.4% sales drop in its electricals category in the nine months to March this year.

This huge console launch is therefore very welcome for the sector, particularly after the slated autumn launch of Grand Theft Auto 6, arguably the biggest gaming release of the decade, was delayed until May 2026.

A new report by Captify, using data from its insight and analytics division Sight, shows how searches for handheld gaming products in Q1 2025 rose by 20% year over year (unlike the PS5 and Xbox, the Switch 2 has its own screen so can be played on-the-go).

The launch will coincide with a massive rush of gaming content for enthusiasts. Prospective buyers will likely head straight to review websites and gaming forums to figure out which games are best to pick up alongside their shiny new piece of hardware.

The Captify data suggests that the whole process of going from researching a game to buying it typically takes about nine days post launch, with searches spiking for reviews and information about the product before gamers decide to make the purchase over a week later. You can see that process play out in the chart below with the launch of the critically acclaimed game Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

This means smart retailers will be paying a lot of attention to the first batch of Switch 2 game reviews, as they decide which games to promote alongside the console

Understanding when consumers are in market and what they’re thinking about at what point in the launch cycle should help retailers refine their strategies says Jane Wolfson, president UK and international at Captify. “When are they advertising? Is it pre-orders around the actual console? Or do they follow that up with additional gaming content?”

That nine-day consideration window loses all meaning when the bona fides of the gaming franchise are so strong that consumers know it is a sure bet. A case in point is Nintendo’s own Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, where the chart below shows the gap between review searches and purchasing searches is much smaller.

The launch release most likely to fit that criteria with the Switch 2 is Mario Kart World, which has drawn a lot of coverage around its £75 price tag. It’s still TBC if that higher-than-usual cost gives gamers any more pause for thought.

Hardware releases like the PlayStation VR2 typically have a much longer consideration window of around 56 days.

What might be concerning gamers the most right now is whether they can get their hands on a console. The Captify data shows that part of the spike in search interest for the Nintendo console was consumers looking for stock availability trackers.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X launches came amid a worldwide chip shortage, which meant that many consumers struggled to get their hands on the newest generation of hardware.

It was an ominous sign for gamers last week when Game cancelled a selection of Switch 2 pre-orders. The retailer said in a statement to social media: “We’re currently working hard to reinstate as many affected preorders as possible. If your order was impacted, please know that we’re doing everything we can and will be in touch with further updates and next steps.”