Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date confirmed by one major retailer
I reported on the April 2 pre-order date last week. Now Best Buy is telling us that it'll take Switch 2 reservations on that exact date
It’s a good day when you wake up to your reporting being proven correct. Last week, I pinned the Nintendo Switch pre-order date as April 2, 2025, and the time around 10am ET. Today, Best Buy Canada issued an official statement saying that it’ll start accepting Nintendo Switch 2 reservations on April 2.
You’ll need to be ready to pre-order Nintendo Switch 2 next week because, as soon as the Nintendo Direct on April 2 ends, US stores are expected to launch sales of the new console – and demand will be strong out of the gate.
That’s why you need to be prepared when Nintendo’s pre-orders go live.
How to: Switch 2 pre-order alerts on your phone
Get our instant alerts: Your best chance to find a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order is to follow Matt Swider on X – and turn on notifications. It’ll look like:
Demand for Nintendo Switch 2 is strong
The Shortcut is already seeing unprecedented demand for the Nintendo Switch 2 console. Our data shows that consumers in the US fear missing out on reserving the console, and for good reason. Gamers are getting PS5 restock flashbacks.
That will be compounded on April 2 when the Nintendo Direct video reveals the first Nintendo Switch 2 launch games. Right now, we just have a glimpse of the console and a few seconds of the Mario Kart 9 trailer. If Metroid Prime 4 becomes a Nintendo Switch 2 launch game or we see a new Zelda, expect demand to skyrocket.
Nintendo won’t comment on the pre-order date
Nintendo has no comment when it comes to the April 2 pre-order date. In fact, as I began to write this news story, Best Buy Canada pulled its blog post citing April 2. Luckily, the internet doesn’t forget and I grabbed a screenshot here.
It seems like the blog post was issued prematurely, leaking the April 2 pre-order date before Best Buy was allowed to announce it. But this insight gives us a way to prepare for sales hours before the first Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on events kick off in NYC.
About that Nintendo Switch 2 release date
Nintendo’s April 2 pre-order date seems set in stone, but the actual release date is likely to be later – as in May or even June.
That’s going to surprise a lot of consumers who equate the pre-order date with the release date. They’ll have to wait several weeks to receive their console shipments from stores like Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop. There will also be people who see a later release date and decide to wait to buy the shiny new console on day one. That may not be an option if demand outstrips supply. We saw that happen with the PlayStation Portal (Sony’s not-quite PSP 2 handheld remote player) in the United States over a year ago.
Of course, we’ll track both the April 2 pre-order date and time as well as the release date of the Nintendo Switch 2 through The Shortcut via email and on X. So, turn on notifications and get ready for next week.
