Nintendo Switch 2 preorders began on April 24 at retailers, and it was, it's safe to say, quite a mess. Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop had their sites bombarded with gamers and bots looking to preorder the Switch successor. But these retailers are not the only places to get a Switch 2.
Nintendo also plans on getting in on the action, as it will have preorders for the Switch 2 on its Nintendo Store. There are some requirements to get an invite to purchase the console, such as having a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025, when the Switch 2 was revealed. There is, however, an additional catch for those who are depending on Nintendo to get their hands on a Switch 2 when it launches on June 5.
Nintendo gave an update on its preorders, saying that if you order with them, there's a good chance you'll have to wait until after the launch date to get a Switch 2.
"Due to the very high demand, we will be working diligently to fulfill orders as product becomes available, but delivery by June 5 is not guaranteed," Nintendo said. "Your invitation email may arrive after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. We'll confirm your shipping date upon purchase."
Its a trick to get a Switch.
The Switch 2 is shaping up to be not only Nintendo's most successful launch, but it could also be the biggest console launch ever. Analysts predict Nintendo will sell 6 to 8 million units at launch, according to a Bloomberg report.
The demand for the Switch 2 is so massive in Japan that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa had to apologize for not anticipating the huge interest from Japanese gamers after the company received 2.2 million applications for a Switch 2 preorder.
“This number far exceeds our expectations, and far exceeds the number of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles that can be delivered from the My Nintendo Store on June 5,” Furukawa wrote on X via Nintendo’s official Japanese account.
The Switch 2, in the U.S., faced a sudden obstacle not long after its reveal, thanks to President Donald Trump.
On April 2, Trump revealed a list of tariffs for countries the U.S. traded with. Japan, where Nintendo is located, and Vietnam, where the Switch 2 is being manufactured, were hit hard with tariffs, receiving a 24% tariff and 46% tariff, respectively. The president has since put a pause on these tariffs, but still states that he will institute tariffs again in the future.
While the price of the Switch 2 console remains at the announced $450, with the Mario Kart World Bundle at $500, the Switch 2 accessories did increase in price by, in most cases, $5. The likely reason for this increase is the continued tariffs on China, with imports from the country receiving a 145% tariff. There is speculation that the number may drop soon.
The China tariff is already taking its toll on other handheld console makers. Anbernic, a Chinese company that makes Game Boy clones, stopped shipments of its product to the U.S. over tariffs. Funstock, a U.K.-based online retailer that sells the Evercade retro handheld, announced it would stop taking orders from the U.S. due to the current trade war.
