With the success of the Switch 2, video game culture becomes political

The release [on June 5 at midnight] of the Nintendo Switch 2 – which, surprisingly, succeeds the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 – is significant news in many ways. Its record sales [3.5 million units in four days] underline the flair of the Japanese company, which, since the release of the first Switch, has anticipated the fact that technological overkill was not the best way to win the “console war”.

Meanwhile, rivals Sony and Microsoft have continually pushed the boundaries of technology to deliver ever more powerful consoles and attract new users. Now that they appear to be reaching the limits of this strategy, they have some catching up to do.

The success of the Nintendo Switch 2 marks a significant moment not only in the video game industry, but also in political and cultural life around the world. For video games occupy a curious place in globalized culture. On the one hand, they are a major economic sector and one of the most influential leisure activities on the planet. On the other, they continue to be perceived as a passing fad. Even those who sometimes play them daily seem to be in denial: every day, I see people mocking video games on social media—even though they are avid readers of the New York Times Gaming section.

History shows that our passion for gambling, in all its forms, is as ancient and enduring as our obsession with gold. I'm willing to bet that almost all modern passions will be gone before we give up gambling. Yet,