With President Trump‘s Liberation Day tariffs looming, the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been anything but straightforward. Nintendo initially pulled pre-orders in the US just days before they were due to go live, seeing uncertainty brew about its potential launch date.
But following Trump’s 90-day pause on the proposed tariffs, the company confirmed on April 18 that pre-orders would open later that month, and that the price would stay the same as previously announced. While third-party retailers like Walmart and GameStop went live on April 24 (and quickly sold out), Nintendo itself has yet to release the console.
Now, nearly two weeks later, the first wave of Switch 2 pre-orders is finally set to launch at the My Nintendo Store this Thursday, May 8, giving you a second chance to secure a console.
If you’re looking to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 ahead of its June release, it’s not impossible. More pre-orders are dropping in the coming days, but you’ll need to move quickly. We’re tracking Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders across every major retailer below.
Where can you pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US?
How to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 in the US
Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 officially went live on April 24, first with Walmart, Best Buy, GameStop, and Target, but both the standalone console and the Mario Kart World bundle had sold out within minutes. My Nintendo Store is expected to join the Mario Party later this week, making it your next big chance to pre-order a console.
Nintendo
Nintendo will be going live with pre-orders on Thursday, May 8 via an invitation system. You can register your interest on the My Nintendo Store, but you need to meet some eligibility requirements to get an invitation. To be invited to Nintendo’s Switch 2 pre-orders through My Nintendo Store, you must have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and have at least 50 hours of gameplay under your belt.
Walmart
Walmart opened Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders at 12 am ET on April 24, offering both the standard console and the Mario Kart World bundle. Both listings sold out quickly, and as of now, Walmart has removed the product pages entirely. Cryptic.
Target
Target also dropped Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders at midnight on April 24, selling out by the early hours of the morning. It hasn’t given any indication as to when more consoles or bundles will be made available, or whether it has any pre-orders available in-store. We’re hoping for more drops this week.
Best Buy
Best Buy's pre-orders went live at 12am EST on April 24 on its website and mobile app. The demand caused the site to crash, and the stock swiftly sold out. There's no official word on future restocks, but we’ll keep checking.
GameStop
GameStop began online pre-orders at 11am EST on April 24, but the website crashed as soon as pre-orders went live due to heavy traffic. GameStop recommends that customers should head in-store to check if their local store has stock, which will be their best bet right now.
Pre-orders for Switch 2 are sold out online; still available in-store. pic.twitter.com/i9zGqxEvqz
— GameStop (@gamestop) April 24, 2025
We got a first look at the Nintendo Switch 2 – read our hands-on review
