Moscow Midnight Discovery
In the dead of night, Fedor Volkov found himself nervously waiting on the streets of Moscow for his ride home. Clutching a Switch 2 box, which contained the highly anticipated console not officially launching for another week, he was too anxious to remember to bring a bag to conceal it.
A Candid Conversation
“I forgot the bag, I forgot everything,” Volkov shared with Kotaku. “It was around 1:00 a.m., and I’m standing there with a Switch 2 box, hoping nobody sees me.” While speaking over Discord, he wore ski glasses, his arm adorned with a large Doom Slayer tattoo, and laughed as he recalled the moment. Behind him, a glass vase with white carnations sat on a shelf, complemented by a t-shirt that read “welcome to hell.”
Podcasting Friends
Volkov and his friends, Vlad Malykhin and Artem Kolomiets, host a casual Russian gaming podcast called “Пoпы и культура” (Butts and Culture). Their logo is a nod to an internet meme. After only a couple of years, they’re gearing up for their 100th episode, slated for release after Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest this year. But how did they manage to get their hands on a Switch 2 before most others?
A Surprising Connection
The answer lies in Volkov’s proactive networking. He learned from a friend in a random Telegram group about securing a Switch 2 order set for arrival before its official launch. After reaching out, he was given the contact details of a seller who had a few units on an incoming flight from Dubai.
Seizing the Opportunity
“I contacted the seller,” he explained. “I can’t share his name, but I mentioned wanting a Switch 2 for content creation and personal use, not for resale.” Just minutes later, the seller informed him that an extra unit would arrive earlier than expected. They settled on a purchase price of about $800. Volkov and his podcast co-hosts discussed it before he decided to go for it, excited about being one of the first to unbox the console.
Immediate Content Creation
Once he had the console, Volkov dove into creating videos that quickly spread through enthusiastic Nintendo communities on social media. He shared the setup sequence, music, and interface details, revealing that the launch only included black and white themes with no backward compatibility for existing Switch games. The console required a day-one patch to function fully, limiting immediate gameplay options.
Navigating Sanctions
With rumors swirling around the console, Nintendo has worked to keep its launch details tightly controlled. The company’s influence in Russia has diminished, especially following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Amidst sanctions, gamers in Russia have found ways to navigate restrictions through a black market for unauthorized imports and other digital solutions. Volkov, comfortable with his decision to buy the console over Telegram, expressed a desire to represent a gaming community in Russia that persists despite challenges.
