GameStop could be among the main beneficiaries of Nintendo’s new Switch console. Nintendo

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GameStop needs some extra lives, and the Nintendo Switch might just do the trick. Aside from Nintendo, GameStop is arguably the company with the most to gain from last week’s launch of the popular hybrid-gaming system.

“It’s definitely a catalyst for the company,” Mizuho analyst San Phan tells Barron’s Next. He remains positive on GameStop, even as the retailer’s stock has tumbled amid a challenging environment for physical-game sales. Phan reasons that the Switch launch likely drove additional foot traffic into GameStop stores, with customers more inclined than usual to pick up physical copies of games, trade in their old ones, or shop for collectibles -- a growing business for the retailer.