Nintendo announced today their plan to get players excited about their upcoming Nintendo Switch launch on March 3rd: a series of live “Switch and Play” events at various locations across the United States where fans can try out the system and experience console gaming in new, different settings where they might not usually expect to find games.
The Nintendo Switch’s portability has been a very important cornerstone of its marketing so far. The first time we ever saw the console in its first look trailer, it was used briefly in a living room but quickly moved to a an airplane, an outdoor basketball court, and even a trendy rooftop party. Nintendo has been very proud of this aspect of the Switch, calling it “revolutionary” and an “unprecedented new style of console gaming on the go”.
These new Switch and Play events aim to show off the console’s versatility, and will take place in “highly visual, interactive living room-inspired spaces” constructed in various places around the U.S.
The first event will take place on February 23 in the desert at Blue Cloud Movie Ranch, and will feature WWE Superstar John Cena as a special guest. This event will be invite-only, hosting “YouTube Influencers” and a select few invited fans to play games with Cena.
The second event will take place on February 27 in Aspen Colorado, at the Snowmass ski resort. This event will be open to the public and is sure to be popular, so fans are encouraged to arrive early if possible.
The final event will also be open to the public and will take place in Madison Square Park in New York on March 3, the day the Nintendo Switch officially launches. The event will celebrate a “new era in Nintendo gaming”, and will feature an appearance by the Super Mario Bros themselves, Mario and Luigi.
Here are the specific times and locations for the events:
* The Desert – Invite only
Feb. 23, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. PT
Blue Cloud Movie Ranch
20019 Blue Cloud Rd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91390
* Aspen – Open to the public
Feb. 27, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. MT
Snowmass Village
45 Village Square
Snowmass Village, CO 81615
* New York – Open to the public
March 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET
Flatiron Plaza
Broadway between 23rd and 24th St.
New York, NY 10010
Each event promises to be an “absolute spectacle”, putting familiar home gaming setups in fun outdoor places to show how “Nintendo Switch transforms any space into a place to play.”
More information on all Nintendo Switch events can be found at nintendo.com/switch/events