A Parent's Guide to Pre-Ordering a Switch 2
Later this week, you can (try to!) buy a Switch 2. Here's how you can pull it off.
For international Crossplay readers, you might have already been able to pre-order a Switch 2, but if you, like me, are in the United States—well, first of all, I’m sorry. It’s bad out there at the moment. And due to the ongoing confusion over the Trump administration’s tariff changes, Nintendo pushed Switch 2 pre-orders until this week.
It’s almost game time, though, and if you’re confused, I’m here to help.
Where and When Can I Order a Switch 2?
Switch 2 pre-orders generally start around midnight ET on late Wednesday evening. Technically, it’ll be April 24 for those on the East Coast and April 23 for everyone else. The one exception is GameStop, which really does not start until Thursday morning.
It’s a little confusing, but bottom line: get ready for pre-ordering late on Wednesday.
GameStop: 8:00 AM PT // 11AM ET (April 24)
Target: 9:00 PM PT // 12:00 AM ET (midnight) — [Sold Out]
Walmart: 9:00 PM PT // 12:00 AM ET (midnight) — [Sold Out]
Best Buy: 9:00 PM PT // 12:00 AM ET (midnight) — [Sold Out]
The links above go to each retailer’s main Switch 2 page, with specific links below.
Nintendo will have some pre-orders available to people who meet select criteria, but those won’t start until next month. Nintendo’s goal appears to push back on resellers.
Will Switch 2 Sell Out?
Update: Yes, it sold out. Target and Best Buy were a total mess when pre-orders opened, with people being unable to check out and pay. It was not uncommon for people to “get” a pre-order, only for it to be cancelled. Walmart, which put people into a queue, seemed to have the best success for people, but even Walmart quickly sold out over the course of an hour and change. More machines should become available between now and June 5, but we’re waiting on details. The next major wave will be Nintendo’s pre-orders next month. I seemingly secured a Switch 2 at both Best Buy and Walmart (backup!), and neither have been cancelled—yet.
Probably? At least for a little while? But maybe not? Nintendo has been planning for this moment for years, but there’s enormous pent up demand for Nintendo’s new device, and it’s likely tariff fears will drive more people to buy one at the price Nintendo’s currently offering, worried the price might increase in the future.
(There is no indication the hardware will go up, but PS5 prices are going up.)
It’s entirely possible you’ll be able to pick up a Switch 2 on day one, but don’t be surprised if retailers sell out of their supply when pre-orders go live this week. It’s likely there will be more supply made available for pre-orders leading up to June 5.
Are Tariffs Increasing Prices?
Yes. The tariff nonsense means Switch 2 accessories have increased in price by a few dollars—i.e. the Switch 2 Pro Controller went from $79.99 to $84.99. Thanks, Mr. President! The Switch 2 hardware and Mario Kart World bundle remains the same.
Hey, What About Amazon?
There is no pre-order page for Switch 2 on Amazon, and it’s unclear if there will be one. You shouldn’t count on it, though. Nintendo and Amazon have a strange relationship. If you look at Nintendo’s customized page on Amazon, for example, you’ll notice that you cannot buy any of the games they're advertising as “must have.”
It seems unlikely this relationship will change before Switch 2, but I’ll keep an eye out.
A Few Other Important Notes
Some basic rules of thumb on maximizing your online pre-order chances:
Register an account with every retailer in advance
Make sure you’re logged into every retailer ahead of pre-ordering
Save your credit card information with each retailer before pre-ordering
Download the mobile apps for each retailer; sometimes, those hold up better
Basically, you’re trying to minimize the amount of steps as thousands of people descend on these websites. Often, they will crash, and your best bet is try and purchase as fast as possible. This is helped by making the buying process seamless.
Hey, How Many Switch 2s Are You Buying?
Just one.
I’m not going to buy a Switch 2 for everyone in the house, but I’ll be there alongside you on Wednesday trying to lock in a pre-order for the house; there’s no guarantee Nintendo sends me one. (We’ll revisit a Switch 2 for my oldest closer to the holidays, since everyone can play Mario Kart World on TV in the meantime.) Fingers crossed!
Now, onto the relevant links to streamline your pre-ordering experience.
Switch 2 Hardware Pre-Order Links
The links below will take you to the specific pages where you can pre-order a Switch 2. More retailers that are likely to sell Switch 2, such as Costco and Sam’s Club, will have their pages added later. I’ll also make a note when pre-order allotments are gone.
Console Only Pre-Order ($449.99)
Mario Kart World + Console Bundle ($499.99)
Key Accessory Pre-Order Links
Note: This does not include every accessory available at launch.
Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 Pair ($94.99)
Switch 2 Pro Controller ($84.99)
Switch 2 Camera ($54.99)
Launch Software Pre-Order Links
Note: This does not include every Switch 2 launch game. It also won’t surprise me if you’re able to buy physical copies of Switch 2 games at launch pretty easily. There’s less pressure here.
Mario Kart World ($79.99)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition ($69.99)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 Edition ($79.99)
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Good luck out there. If there’s anything I missed, let me know below. Happy to help!
Have a story idea? Want to share a tip? Got a funny parenting story? Drop Patrick an email.
Also:
Bummer the Mario Kart World hardware bundle is a digital copy of the game; my kids absolutely love passing around the original Switch cart. There’s a good chance, once Switch 2s make their way around the house, I buy that physically.
My accessory shopping cart: Pro Controller, camera, one extra set of Joy Con 2s. Camera feels a little unnecessary, but we don’t know what USB cameras will work.
With the PlayStation 5 pre-orders, I actually pre-ordered the machine at a few places, only to receive a complimentary one from Sony. But…I forgot to cancel the pre-orders, wound up with several extra PlayStation 5s at my doorstep, and quickly sold them (at cost) to friends were looking to nab one. It worked out.
I sent this to all my friends who are gamer parents. Now its in their hands. Good luck everyone! haha
This is extremely helpful for trying to score a switch 2. Thanks, Patrick.