Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders finally got the green flag in the US last week, and now it's time to get ready for an onslaught of stock. Meanwhile, the UK is still seeing a few drops here and there, with ShopTo launching new stock this morning. With larger retailers like Very and Argos also waiting in the wings there's still plenty to play for.
It's now been two weeks since the Nintendo Switch 2 first landed on UK shelves, but the US hasn't even had a pre-order date set in stone during that time. Now that we now stock will land on April 24 we only have two days to prepare.
That means I've been scouring the web for the latest updates from all your favorite retailers (and watching out for Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order stock across the pond as well). This isn't my first rodeo. I've been tracking high-demand stock for over five years now, starting off in the badlands of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Over the course of PS Portal drops, PlayStation 30th Anniversary restocks, and more in the last few years, I've developed a series of tips and tricks to making the most of each wave. I know where to find Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders when they land, and how to make sure you get your handheld on day one.
Quick Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order links
- Amazon: No product page yet
- Best Buy: Start at midnight ET on 04/24
- Walmart: Free early launch day delivery
- GameStop: Start on April 24
- Nintendo: Register for invitation
- Target: Check for updates
UK
- Amazon: Check for stock
- ShopTo: Check for stock
- Ebuyer: Check for stock
- EE: Check for stock
- Argos: Check for stock
- Very: Check for stock
- Game: Check stock
- The Game Collection: Check for stock
- Currys: Check for stock
- Nintendo: Check for stock
I started tracking high-demand pre-orders back when the PS5 and Xbox Series X first launched and have covered everything from the PS Portal to 30th Anniversary limited edition runs since then. I know which retailers to watch for new stock drops, when those restocks are likely to happen, and how to make sure you finish up with a console in your hands on day one.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the US
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the UK
What time will Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders start in the US?
We know that Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders will officially kick off on April 24, but the time that stock hits the shelves is still up to individual retailers. Lucky for the night owls, we already know that Best Buy and Walmart will be launching its orders at midnight ET and other stores could well follow suit.
That's going to be an almighty drop, with all eyes on these two retailers and a hell of a lot of competition to fend off.
What is the Nintendo Switch 2 price?
Many were concerned that the Nintendo Switch 2 price would increase after Ninty paused its pre-orders to assess new tariffs in the US. However, we found out last week that the handheld's MSRP remains unchanged.
The Nintendo Switch 2 costs $449.99 / £395.99 by itself, but is also available for $499.99 / £429.99 with a copy of Mario Kart World included. That's a solid deal, with the game by itself coming in at $79.99 / £74.99 - you're saving $30 / £40 by opting for the bundle.
Unfortunately, accessories didn't quite survive these rough pricing waters. The new Pro Controller has jumped up to $84.99 and a pair of Joy-Con 2 is now $94.99. The full list of price increases is below:
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller now $84.99, was $79.99
- Joy-Con 2 Pair now $94.99, was $89.99
- Switch 2 Camera now $54.99, was $49.99
- Switch 2 Dock Set now $119.99, was $109.99
- Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip now $39.99, was $34.99
- Joy-Con 2 Strap now $13.99, was $12.99
- Joy-Con 2 Wheel Set now $24.99, was $19.99
- Switch 2 Carry Case now $39.99, was $34
- Switch 2 All-in-One Carry Case now $84.99, was $79
- Switch 2 AC Adapter now $34.99, was $29
Should you pre-order Nintendo Switch 2?
Straight off the bat, I'd say if you know you want a Nintendo Switch 2 on day one you'll want to get your pre-order in. This is a big release, and while Nintendo has claimed that there will be enough to go around I've been watching high-profile drops for the last five years and would recommend getting yourself covered as early as possible.
I also wouldn't hold off on a pre-order if you're hoping for discounts later in the year. Nintendo hardware already holds its value for an exceedingly long period of time - I didn't see savings hitting the original release for some time. There may be additional bundles later in the year, but discounts are unlikely to exceed the $30 / £40 we're already seeing with the Mario Kart World offer. Straight price cuts on Nintendo hardware in its first year of sale is also incredibly rare.
That's before you take the tariff situation into account. As we've all learned in the last few years, prices can go up just as easily as they can go down.
Live updates
The Game Collection doesn't have any Nintendo Switch 2 stock, but it does have a Spring Sale
And there are a few Nintendo Switch titles to take note of.
The Game Collection has launched a Spring Sale, and if you're in the market for your first ever Switch console there are some offers you should be taking note of. None of the major first party blockbusters are included, but third party games like Hogwarts Legacy, Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu, Unicorn Overlord, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown are getting involved.
That's a good backfill for your collection that won't break the bank.
Considering the new Pro Controller? There's a battery benefit as well
We've known the details of the new Nintendo Switch Pro Controller 2 for some time now, but ears have pricked today after Nintendo released the full technical specifications for the gamepad. The battery capacity may be smaller than the original device, but charges in 3.5 hours. That just under half the charge time of the previous model, which logged in at six hours.
Both models still give you 40 hours of battery life, but you won't be waiting anywhere near as long for the new device to juice up.
Who else is releasing Nintendo Switch 2 accessories?
Nintendo's not the only one prepping for the release of its new handheld, third party accessory makers have been hard at work as well. Whether you're after an alternative camera design or a more substantial case, there's plenty up for grabs.
Hori has a cheaper alternative to the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera with its Piranha Plant model at £34.99. The detachable lens can be wired up straight to the dock or hooked onto the top of the handheld for portable play as well.
Dbrand has been teasing its Killswitch case for some time. The grip shell still offers full kickstand and magnetic Joy-Con functionality while also throwing a cover over your display and storing a few game carts as well.
Genki is also getting in on the action, with its selection of cases, Joy-Con stands, batteries, and bags. These all range from $19.99 - $99.99, and are still at the pre-order stage.
How to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube Controller
You can only pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube Controller if you receive an email invitation from Nintendo to order the handheld itself directly from its store. This is a Nintendo Switch Online member exclusive, so you'll need to add the email address from the Nintendo Account you received your invite with to gain access to the listing at all.
Those in the UK in that lucky position can do so right away, with US pre-order invites being sent out on May 8.
Game pre-orders are still looking healthy at Very
If you're waiting for new handhelds in the UK, but still want to stock up on everything you'll need before day one, it's worth checking out Very's supply of game pre-orders. It's the most varied I've seen on UK shelves so far, and availability continues to hold out nicely. There are even more titles being added all the time. The current roster is below:
- Mario Kart World (June 5) | £74.99 at Very
- Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition (June 5) | £49.99 at Very
- Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster (June 5) | £33.99 at Very
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom SW2 (June 5) | £64.99 at Very
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (June 5) | £59.99 at Very
- Donkey Kong Banaza (July 17) | £64.99 at Very
- Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV (July 24) | £64.99 at Very
- Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (Aug 27) | £54.99 at Very
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World (Aug 28) | £64.99 at Very
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion (Sep 4) | £59.99 at Very
Which retailer should you prioritize on Thursday?
With both Best Buy and Walmart launching their Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders at midnight on Thursday, it's wise to keep your options open. After all, you don't need to be a member of either store's subscription plan to have access to this first round (at the time of writing). If it does come down to a choice, though, I'd opt for Walmart.
The store has announced that it's offering free launch day delivery before 9am for all pre-orders placed ahead of June 4. That means you can wake up and have your console in hand without even having to line up outside the store. It's about as fast as you're going to get your handheld on June 5.
Should you buy the Mario Kart World bundle?
The only situation in which I'd recommend opting against the Mario Kart World bundle is if you absolutely know you won't be playing the game at all.
The $499.99 / £429.99 bundle saves you $30 / £40 on the game itself, and considering this is the most expensive title in the Nintendo Switch 2's launch lineup that's not a saving to be taken lightly.
However, there are more launch titles you could be spending your cash on. Street Fighter 6L Year 1-2 Fighters Edition, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, the Switch 2 version of Tears of the Kingdom, and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma are the games we currently know will be available on day one. With the $449.99 / £395.99 price of the console coming in slightly lower than that of the bundle, it could make sense to prioritize one of these instead, depending on your taste.
That's a lot easier to say for the US, where the difference between the bundle and the handheld is a larger $50. In the UK, I'd still recommend grabbing the Mario Kart World offer for the sake of £30.
Top Tip: Sign into your accounts
That Thursday morning drop is going to be brutal, but if there's one thing I've learned from my years of stock hunting it's that checkout needs to be as fast as possible.
I saw players' PS5s sniped right from their basket all those years ago - until you've finished the checkout process your console is far from yours. Stock levels run down once individual orders are placed, so you'll want to be as speedy as you can through that final boss.
The best thing you can do is save your shipping and payment details in your account with each retailer, and make sure you stay signed in. Rather than typing everything out when the heat is on, you could make it through in a matter of seconds just by hitting a few buttons.
The Joy-Con Charging Grip is much higher on my priority list this time around
And it's all because of two little back buttons.
I never picked up the official Joy-Con Charging Grip for my original Switch (or Switch OLED). I simply didn't see the point. If I was playing for long enough to need to keep those controllers charged I would simply use the Pro Controller.
This generation's gamepad is a little more expensive, though, and not only does the Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip have a much more agreeable $39.99 / £29.99 price tag but it also comes with back buttons. Those little clickers can keep your thumbs on the sticks for much longer, allowing for quick actions without having to head all the way up to the face buttons.
Nintendo hasn't made much of a song and dance about these new clickers, to the extent that I was surprised to see them when I first held the charging grip at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience. Still, their addition makes the whole device far more exciting.
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con Charging Grip | £29.99 at Very
Top Tip: Get your apps sorted
With Thursday's US Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders likely to sell out incredibly quickly, it's important to have all your bases covered ahead of time. I've found that mobile versions of sites (or their app counterparts if they have them) are often still running when desktop pages are crashing. It's well worth downloading apps for the retailers we know will be dropping stock on the big day, you can sometimes squeeze in through a side door this way.
Even if a store doesn't have an app, it's worth getting the site running on your phone at the same time. These are often leaner versions of a retailer's full page and I don't see them crashing so much.
New game pre-orders have arrived at Very
Very has been a strong player for Nintendo Switch 2 game pre-orders over the last few weeks, offering the widest selection and holding its stock well. I've had great experiences with speedy shipping with my own Very pre-orders as well, and now that three new games have entered the villa things are better than ever.
These aren't big first-party releases, all coming from Marvelous Games, but there is one launch title among them.
Where's everyone else in the UK?
It's been a minute since the last major round of Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders dropped in the UK, but I'm optimistic we'll see some movement soon. Very and Argos are the heavy-hitters so far, both offering much longer restocks than other stores, sometimes back-to-back on consecutive days.
Both stores have taken a week off, but could well be replenishing their supplies. The time it takes for that to happen is critical to measure, as it will tell us how long it can take for similar retailers to offer new stock as well. I'd recommend checking in with these stores regularly over the next few days.
Well that didn't last long
It looks like that ShopTo drop has now ended, with the Camera and carry case bundle now off the shelves. Congratulations if you managed to snipe one, it's back to stock-hunting for me.
ShopTo is live
ShopTo has a Nintendo Switch 2, Stealth carry case, and Camera live and ready to pre-order at £465.85 right now. There's no Mario Kart World included there, and you're paying RRP for that carry case and camera on top of the £395.99 handheld price, but everything still checks out value-wise.
Nintendo Switch 2 | Stealth Travel Kit | Switch 2 Camera | £465.85 at ShopTo
How much are Nintendo Switch 2 accessories in the US?
While the handheld itself was saved from a price increase for now, several accessories have seen their numbers inflated by between $5 and $10. The heaviest increases have hit the Switch 2 Dock Set, which has jumped from $109.99 to $119.99, but in general these are minor upcharges, everything else is only up by $5. The full list of Nintendo Switch 2 accessory prices is below.
- Switch 2 Pro Controller: $84.99
- Switch 2 Joy-Con: $94.99
- Switch 2 Camera: $54.99
- Switch 2 Dock Set: $119.99
- Joy-Con Charging Grip: $39.99
- Joy-Con Strap: $13.99
- Joy-Con Wheel Set: $24.99
- Switch 2 Carry Case: $39.99
- Switch 2 All-in-One Carry Case: $84.99
- Switch 2 AC Adapter: $34.99
Best Buy and Walmart will drop Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders at midnight ET on Thursday
Both Best Buy and Walmart will be setting their Nintendo Switch 2 stock live the moment it's officially April 24, so you'll want to be lined up and ready to buy as soon as the clock strikes. That's just the first wave, I'd heavily recommend getting in line ready for that midnight drop, but if you do miss out there could well be more restocked between this week and June 5.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders week three! Hasn't the time flown by.
Right now, it's looking like US retailers are gearing up for their first wave of stock due to land on April 24, meanwhile the UK is a little quieter. We'll need those shops to wake up from their Easter chocolate comas soon, though, it's been over a week since big-shots like Argos and Very last restocked and smaller stores are running out of handhelds fast.
