Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight to San Diego received a free Nintendo Switch as part of a joint promotion between the airline and the console maker. The promotion may have something to do with the annual Comic-Con, which kicked off today. It comes the same week the company released a new Switch model with up to nine hours of battery life.
A Comic-Con host posted on Twitter that everyone on their Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas to San Diego this week received a free Nintendo Switch. Before takeoff, she posted that their agent was wearing a Mario Maker hat and that there was a surprise in store.
EVERYONE ON THIS FLIGHT JUST GOT A NINTENDO SWITCH!!! @NintendoAmerica @SouthwestAir #SouthwestxNintendo pic.twitter.com/mUlryf4Kkv
— Lauren ?hosting @ Comic-Con (@LaurMoor) July 17, 2019
The gift packaging that came with the Free Nintendo Switch stated: “The perfect travel companion! Please enjoy a Nintendo Switch System and Super Mario Maker 2 game, compliments of Nintendo and Southwest.”
Nintendo does have a presence at Comic-Con this year with plans to offer access to three playable games, including Super Mario Maker 2, Luigi’s Mansion 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Comic-Con is an annual conference focused on comic books and related entertainment, including video games. The four-day event is held at the San Diego Convention Center. Comic-Con originally showed off comic books and science fiction or fantasy films and TV shows, but it has since expanded to include horror, animation, toys, video games and more.
Most of those who received the free Nintendo Switch were probably delighted, especially if they don’t already have one. The Japanese console maker sold roughly 35 million of the hybrid consoles as of March, marking two full years of sales for the device. The company even has a Lite version of the console which is a handheld device only. The Nintendo Switch Lite is slated for release in September.