🎮 The Time Has Come For Nintendo To Switch On Consumers

In today’s newsletter I discuss the launch of the new Nintendo Switch 2, Nvidia Corporation has once again regained the title of the world's most valuable publicly traded company, the stars of the hit movie "Back to the Future" have reunited to try and find the long-lost cherry-red Gibson ES-345 guitar, Astronomers have identified a cosmic object that blinks every 44 minutes (creepy), we share the trailer for the new Margot Robbie movie “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey”, and issuer of the USDC stablecoin Circle is IPOing today at $31 dollars per share.

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WHAT WE’RE READING

🎮 The Time Has Come For Nintendo To Switch On Consumers

The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 is officially launching today, Thursday, June 5, 2025, and it’s got a lot of people in the gaming industry excited. Gamers themselves are eager to get their hands on the new console, which launched at midnight at major retailers like Best Buy and GameStop (yes, they still have physical stores located mostly in dying malls). This launch is a big deal for Nintendo as they hope to build upon the unprecedented success of its predecessor.

The new Nintendo Switch 2 boasts some impressive specs. Forgive me for geeking out for a second. The Nintendo Switch 2 boasts significant upgrades under the hood, centered around a custom Nvidia T239 processor. This powerful System on a Chip (SoC) features an 8-core ARM Cortex-A78C CPU, with six cores available for game developers and two reserved for the system's operation. Its Ampere-based GPU, equipped with 1536 CUDA cores, delivers a substantial leap in graphical fidelity, capable of 1007MHz when docked and 561MHz in handheld mode. The console comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X memory, offering 102GB/s bandwidth in docked mode and 68GB/s in handheld, with 9GB allocated for games. Storage has been vastly improved to 256GB of internal UFS memory, expandable via microSD Express cards up to 2TB. The 7.9-inch LCD screen provides a 1080p resolution with HDR10 and VRR support up to 120Hz, while the updated dock enables 4K output at 60Hz or 1080p/1440p at 120Hz on compatible TVs. The new Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically, feature improved HD Rumble 2, and even incorporate mouse controls, truly making every couch potato feel like a productivity guru.

The original Nintendo Switch was launched in March 2017, revolutionized the industry with its hybrid home-and-portable design, selling over 140 million units worldwide as of early 2025, generating billions of dollars in revenue for Nintendo. This includes a remarkable $15.37 billion dollars in the fiscal year ending March 2021, driven by strong software sales and the console's widespread appeal during the pandemic.

This wouldn’t be a news story in 2025 if we didn’t bring up the elephant in the room - tariffs. There are significant concerns about limited inventory at launch, and supply chain disruptions due to the effect of tariffs. Michael Pachter, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities, has warned of potential for stock shortages, saying that demand could easily outstrip initial supply. This scarcity could lead to inflated prices on the secondary market (hello eBay).

With the markets in turmoil, and politics barging in on every aspect of daily life, gamers are clearly ready to embrace the new Nintendo Switch 2 if it offers them an escape from reality even for a little while.

💸 Business

Nvidia Corporation has once again regained the title of the world's most valuable publicly traded company, with a market capitalization of $3.45 trillion dollars, making them even more valuable than 2nd place Microsoft Corporation with a $3.44 trillion dollar valuation. This surge in valuation has been driven by the world’s relentless demand for Nvidia's AI chips, which are central to global data center expansion and AI development.

I’m never going to not think of nacho chips every time I hear someone talk about AI chips.

🎸 Entertainment

The stars of the hit movie "Back to the Future" have reunited with an appeal for the return of a long-lost cherry-red Gibson ES-345 guitar used by Michael J. Fox's character, Marty McFly, in the film. Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Harry Waters Jr., and Huey Lewis joined forces with guitar maker Gibson in their plea.

They aren’t offering a reward for the lost guitar, which I think is a missed opportunity, but they have said whoever returns the guitar will be thanked. Well that’s nice. If it was me I’d sell it in a heartbeat. beat. You know how much that guitar must be worth to collectors?!?!

🔭 Science

Astronomers have identified a cosmic object, which they’ve named ASKAP J1832-0911, that is emitting powerful bursts of both radio waves and X-rays every 44 minutes exactly. This is the first time such an object in space that has been observed with both types of emissions. This strange phenomenon has been observed by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Australia's ASKAP radio telescope.

If this is aliens trying to communicate, they should probably upgrade their wireless plan. Ain’t nobody got 44 minutes to place a call.

🎬 “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” featuring Margot Robbie

🪙 Crypto

Circle, issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has priced its IPO at $31 dollars per share, exceeding its expected range of $27-$28 per share. This upsized offering will see Circle raise roughly $1.05 billion dollars from the sale of 34 million shares, valuing the company at approximately $8 billion dollars. Investors are lining up to buy shares of a crypto company that basically offers digital IOUs that are pegged to the U.S. dollar. How is that even a business?

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irl Media NEWSLETTER is written, edited, and published by Chris Thompson.