The Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 Edition bundle is heading stateside on September 8. Nintendo said the $380 bundle includes the Switch console, a digital copy of Splatoon 2, a "fresh" carrying case, and a pair of Joy-Con controllers in the Neon Green and Neon Pink color variants.
You'll be able to find the bundle only with Nintendo's exclusive retail partner, however, which means you'll have to make a trip to the local Walmart. That shouldn't prove to be too much of a problem for most people—how many Americans don't live within driving distance of a Wally World?—but it could rustle the jimmies of anyone who prefers to shop at other stores.
“Consumers in Japan and Europe have already had a strong response to Splatoon 2 bundles in their territories,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This exclusive Walmart bundle gives people who have been waiting to buy a Nintendo Switch a great value and incentive to get splatting.”
We aren't sure how well Bowser's "value" claim stands up to scrutiny. Switch consoles run $300 with a pair of Joy-Cons included, Splatoon 2 costs $60, and many cases retail for around $20. The only way this deal offers real value over buying everything separately is if you consider that you can't yet buy the Neon Green or Neon Pink controllers or the Splatoon 2-themed carrying case in the U.S. unless you purchase this bundle.
That also means there isn't a downside to buying this bundle, of course, unless you prefer different Joy-Cons or want a physical copy of Splatoon 2. Nintendo's decision to bring the bundle to the U.S. could also indicate that the company is manufacturing more Switch consoles, which is good news for anyone who's wanted to give the hybrid gaming device a try but has been unable to find the darned thing in stock anywhere.
There's some more good news on that front: GameStop announced that all of its locations would have at least a few Switch consoles in stock this week. Other retailers could follow suit, as Nintendo is likely making as many units as it can to prepare for the release of Super Mario Odyssey in October and the arrival of the holiday shopping season almost immediately after. The Switch might actually be easy to find on store shelves for a change.
