Switch 2 release date vs pre-order: Nintendo's new console timeline
Reminder: The Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order was delayed in the United States, but the actual release date remains June 5
Update: Our new Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide has the latest information on the officially confirmed date and time in the US for April 24, 2025.
There’s been some confusion regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order delay vs the release date, as we still don’t have a confirmed time in which we’ll be able to reserve the new console. The originally announced pre-order date was last week, April 9, but Nintendo delayed this timing for US consumers due to tariffs.
The good news is that the Switch 2 release date hasn’t been delayed, even in the United States. The release date is June 5, 2025, according to Nintendo.
The official My Nintendo Store will have pre-orders with strict rules on May 8, but The Shortcut is tracking when Switch 2 will be in stock, and US retailers could open up the first round of pre-orders as soon as April. Now that most new US tariffs have been paused, and there’s an exception on some tech products imported from China, the pre-order could take place on any day leading up to the June 5 release date – even this week. We’re prepared to send alerts, just like we did with the PS5 restock chaos.
How to get Switch 2 pre-order alerts
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:
What US retailers are saying about Switch 2
“We’re waiting for Nintendo to give us the green light,” said multiple electronics store employees in the US when The Shortcut questioned them on when pre-orders would start. They told us that stores were ready for orders just in case on April 2 after the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct video, and ready again on April 9 before the delay.
Here are links to each Switch 2 US retailer:
🌟 Walmart Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🏷️ Best Buy Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🎯 Target Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🛑 GameStop Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
🏬 Sam’s Club Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle (not in stock yet)
📦 Amazon (not live; we’ll see if Amazon even sells it at launch)
Switch 2 at Best Buy
Best Buy has been the most vocal store about its Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order plans, formally announcing that it would hold a midnight launch event at select stores in the US. This would enable gamers to pick up their pre-ordered console on June 5, the official release date, without having to wait until their local Best Buy store opens in the morning. The console will retail for $449.99 without a game and $499.99 with Mario Kart World bundled.
Switch 2 at Walmart
Walmart has said that it’ll deliver your Switch 2 on June 5 by 9am local time. this may be your best option if you don’t want to attend a midnight launch event at GameStop. Of course, you’ll have to pre-order the Nintendo console the moment sales begin in order to take advantage of Walmart’s promise. So far, you won’t need a Walmart+ membership in order to buy the Switch 2. Walmart-owned Sam’s Club will have pre-orders, we can confirm.
Switch 2 at GameStop
GameStop is likely to divide its Switch 2 inventory between online sales and in-store pre-orders whenever Nintendo allows them to put the video game system on sale. It’ll also have all of the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games and accessories on sale. There were already people promising to camp out for a pre-order ticket ahead of April 9, so popular GameStop locations may have a long line come June 5. Be prepared.
Switch 2 at Target
Target is the hidden gem when it comes to console pre-orders. Sometimes, it limits orders to online shipping, and other times, it requires you to order online for an in-store pickup. The latter method actually cuts down on scalpers trying to order as many consoles as possible because they have to pick up the systems in person. The catch? Target likes to make pre-order times 8am ET / 6am PT.
More Nintendo Switch 2 coverage daily
The Shortcut publishes a daily round-up of the latest information about Switch 2 pre-orders, and a little more than a week ago, we went live with our Switch 2 hands-on review. Stay tuned for more coverage – and, eventually, some breaking news from Nintendo regarding when and where you’ll be able to buy the Switch 2 console.
Matt Swider is the Editor-in-Chief of The Shortcut, the #1 consumer tech publication on Substack. Matt, a trusted technology expert with over 25 years of journalism experience and the former US Editor-in-Chief of TechRadar, can be found on social media through X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
