Times are changing, and in this case, it seems for the better.
Unlike previous releases of Nintendo-owned properties at the main Nintendo NY Store located in New York’s legendary Rockefeller Center – which often had hundreds of people lining up overnight to be the first to buy a Switch, or the iconic character mario E Zelda On Day One – Game Freak’s debut was long-awaited Pokémon Legends: Arceus He was honestly civilized.
This was obviously planned as Nintendo NY set ground rules a week in advance and ensured that lines were only for ticket holders and that they could only line up an hour before entry time (10am, second wave at 11 am).
The local police certainly have some optional suggestions on how to handle big releases, as previous scenarios often found fans bringing real furniture (everything from lawn chairs to tents) to better survive the temperatures. .
But it’s also possible that the game’s wide availability has softened the blow. Its intrepid photographer had already put 5 hours or more into the game, having played since midnight EDT on launch day when Arceus opened, with another compact version arriving early that same morning.
The fact that there was no Arceus Switch companion console on offer, a special edition of the game, Amiibo, or any available developer or voice talent meant there wasn’t much to do in the queue other than saying “I was there”.
Nintendo NY, as it’s known, has been handing out stickers and a few small goodies, and they also have an Arceus-themed “camping” inside the store for fans to take pictures in and around. Otherwise, this was generally tame and tidy – much better, in fact, than the usual chaos and FOMO that plagued past events.
Surprisingly, there was a complete lack of any Arceus-branded merchandise – Switch t-shirts and sleeves and the usual suspects were conspicuously absent – which is unusual considering this is one of the most anticipated first-party releases in quite some time. surrounded by riddles. Regardless, they all seemed to leave the store on a happy cart and, to be fair, it fits this case perfectly.
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