when can you preorder the switch 2
You could preorder the Nintendo Switch 2 starting on April 24, 2025, but those preorder windows have mostly sold out at major retailers as of mid‑2025.
Quick Scoop
- Nintendo officially opened general Switch 2 preorders at major U.S. retailers (Walmart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop) on April 24, 2025.
- The standard console MSRP is about 449.99 USD, with a Mario Kart bundle around 499.99 USD.
- Those initial preorder allocations sold out within hours at most stores, and by late May most listings showed “unavailable” or “coming soon.”
- Nintendo also ran invite‑only preorders through its own online store, giving select registered players 72 hours to buy when they received an email.
In other words: the answer to “when can you preorder the Switch 2?” is “you could on April 24, 2025, and now it’s mostly about restocks, invites, or launch‑day stock.”
What actually happened with preorders
Retailer launch
- After a short delay tied to tariff concerns, Nintendo confirmed that Switch 2 preorders in the U.S. would begin on April 24 instead of the earlier April 9 plan.
- Walmart, Target, and Best Buy opened online preorders at 12:00 AM ET on April 24, while GameStop followed later that morning (around 11:00 AM ET).
- Stock at those stores was largely gone within a couple of hours, with only scattered units popping up afterward.
Nintendo’s own invite system
- Nintendo also offered preorders directly through its online store using a priority invite system for existing Switch players and Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
- If selected, you received an email and had a 72‑hour window to place your preorder, limited to one console per account.
- Due to demand, some invite emails were expected to arrive close to or even after the June 5 launch date, with no guarantee of release‑day delivery.
Current status & “latest news”
- Ahead of the June 5 launch, reports indicated that third‑party retailers were sold out or showing “unavailable,” meaning most people could no longer place a standard preorder.
- Coverage focused on monitoring occasional restocks, watching for additional Nintendo invite waves, and preparing for launch‑day in‑store inventory instead.
Practical takeaway if you’re trying now
- Classic preorder window: April 24, 2025, at major retailers, now effectively closed.
- Your realistic options became:
- Watch for surprise restocks at big retailers (especially close to launch).
* Register interest or check Nintendo’s official Switch 2 “how to buy” page for invite info.
* Plan for launch‑day in‑store attempts where walk‑in units may be available.
TL;DR: When can you preorder the Switch 2? The main preorder window was April 24, 2025, and now it’s all about restocks, Nintendo invite waves, or securing a unit around launch day.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.