Nintendo enthusiasts on the West Coast have a new reason to celebrate as the gaming giant opens its doors to its second official store in the United States today, May 15. Located in the heart of San Francisco's Union Square at 331 Powell Street, the Nintendo San Francisco store marks the company's expansion following the success of its New York location. Originally known as the Nintendo World Store, the New York branch underwent renovations and a rebranding to Nintendo NY before reopening in 2016.
IGN had the opportunity to visit the new San Francisco store and explore what Nintendo has in store for its fans. Additionally, we sat down with Nintendo of America's president, Doug Bowser, to delve into the reasons behind the company's decision to open its first West Coast store at this time.
During our interview, we couldn't resist discussing the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, set to launch on June 5. We probed Bowser about the Switch 2's availability in the U.S. at launch and beyond, the much-talked-about Game-Key Cards, and several other topics that fans are eager to learn more about.