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Title: Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders: Updates on restocks from Walmart,
GameStop, Target, Best Buy and other retailers

Date: Wed, 07 May 2025 15:41:14 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nint...

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are technically open, but you may have trouble
grabbing the console before its June 5 release date if you haven't secured an
order already. As of our latest sweep, the device is still completely out of
stock at Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy, Target and other retailers. This has
(mostly) been the case in the US since the Switch 2 first went up for sale on
April 24, and it remains unclear when it'll change.

Your best hope right now might be ordering through Nintendo itself, as the
console maker will start accepting pre-orders at its My Nintendo Store
tomorrow, May 8. However, the company is only offering the Switch 2 through
an invite system. It's been accepting registrations for that since April 2,
and it's prioritizing invites for past Switch players and Switch Online
subscribers before anyone else. So if you're just registering now, don't be
surprised if your invite doesn't arrive for some time after the initial
batch. Nintendo even updated the language on its pre-order page last month to
note that some invite emails may not arrive until after the console has been
released.

Nevertheless, we're keeping an eye out for any surprise restocks that may pop
up. If you're still hoping to get your hands on the device early, we've
rounded up all the Switch 2 pre-order listings we could find for easy access
and broken down what you should know about buying the console below.

How to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2

After a two-week delay, Nintendo finally kicked off Switch 2 pre-orders in
the US and Canada at midnight ET on April 24. A couple of (headache-inducing)
hours later, stock at third-party retailers such as Walmart, Target and Best
Buy promptly sold out. GameStop began taking pre-orders at 11am ET that
morning but quickly met the same fate. Some eagle-eyed buyers were reportedly
able to pre-order through Walmart as recently as April 26, but as of this
writing, the console remains sold out at all of the stores above.

Other membership-based retailers like Costco and Sam's Club have Switch 2
listings as well, but we haven't seen anything to suggest they will accept
pre-orders. Newegg also has a Switch 2 page but hasn't provided an option to
buy just yet. As for Amazon, we assume the Switch 2 will eventually be
available there, but it's not today, and there's been no indication as to
when that might change. (Even before the Switch 2 was unveiled, stock of the
original Nintendo Switch and first-party Switch games had been limited at
Amazon US for several months.)

As noted above, we recommend signing up via Nintendo's website if you haven't
already. It's free to register and you'll eventually get an email that lets
you order the console, even if you have to wait until after the June 5
launch. Just be aware that Nintendo is prioritizing invites "on a first-come,
first-served basis" to those who've paid for its Switch Online service for at
least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of total Switch play time as of
April 2, 2025. (For the latter, you'll need to have opted into sharing
gameplay data with Nintendo, which you can confirm in your account's privacy
settings.) Nintendo says it'll send invites to other registrants after those
who meet this "priority criteria" receive their emails. Whenever you do get
an invite, you'll have 72 hours to make your purchase.

If you're desperate to catch a restock, it's a good idea to create a free
account with the retailers above and ensure all of your shipping and billing
info is up to date with each. Downloading each store's mobile app and signing
up for notifications may help too, though that could get annoying fairly
quickly.

Pre-order Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Pre-order Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

*As of 11:40am ET on Wednesday, May 7, Amazon has not listed either Switch 2
console package for sale. We will update this article with direct links if
they arrive; until then, we're linking to the site's Nintendo-focused hub.

How to pre-order Switch 2 accessories and games

Naturally, there are numerous accessories and games up for pre-order
alongside the Switch 2 itself. While Nintendo hasn't changed the console's
price since delaying its initial pre-order date, it has hiked the cost of
several accessories due to "changes in market conditions" (read: tariffs).
The new Switch 2 camera, for instance, now costs $55 instead of its original
$50, while the Switch 2 Pro Controller leapt from $80 to $85. An extra set of
Joy-Con 2 controllers is up to $95 from $90, and the official Joy-Con
Charging Grip costs $40 instead of $35.

Most (but not all) of Nintendo's official Switch 2 accessories are still up
for grabs at one or two retailers at a minimum, but stock has become spottier
since they first went up for sale. Upcoming Switch 2 games like Mario Kart
World and Donkey Kong Bananza, meanwhile, remain widely available.

Mario Kart World for $80

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Donkey Kong Bananza for $70

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Additional Switch 2 games

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon

Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 for $60

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon

Joy-Con 2 bundle for $95

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Switch 2 Pro Controller for $85

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Switch 2 Camera for $55

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera for $60

Best Buy

Target

Amazon

Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip for $40

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) for $25

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case for $85

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector for $40

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon*

*As of 11:40am ET on Wednesday, May 7, Amazon has not listed any first-party
Switch 2 accessories or games for sale. (Some third-party devices and games
are listed, however.) We'll update this article with direct links if they
arrive; until then, we're linking to the site's Nintendo-focused hub.

More Switch 2 details

We knew from its initial teaser trailer that the Switch 2 would be bigger
than its predecessor and take a new approach to its detachable Joy-Cons. The
Joy-Con 2s, as they're called, now attach magnetically and include a C
button, mouse controls and a built-in gyroscope for tilt control. The console
itself is indeed larger, with a 7.9-inch LCD screen that supports a 1080p
resolution, a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz and HDR10. The hardware also
has a built-in mic to support a new feature called GameChat that'll let you
communicate with friends in-game. (This is what that C button is for.)
Nintendo says this service will be free to all Switch 2 users until March 31,
2026, at which point it'll require a Switch Online membership.

When docked, you'll be able to play up to 4K on your TV. Nintendo says it's
improved the consoles internal speakers as well. The updated dock has a built-
in fan to keep the console cool and help maintain performance during long
play sessions. Though we won't know exactly how much of a power upgrade the
Switch 2 is over to the first Switch until it's released, it looks to be
fairly significant leap, given that it'll have ports of relatively demanding
games like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077.

Elsewhere, the Switch 2 has dual USB-C ports for charging, while the internal
storage amount has jumped from 32GB to 256GB. That storage is still
expandable, but the device will only work with newer (and more expensive)
microSD Express cards. As seen in the recent 20.0.0 update for the original
Switch, the upcoming console will also utilize Nintendo's new Virtual Game
Card system for lending digital games across systems, as well as a GameShare
feature that lets you share select titles locally with just one copy of a
game.

Tariffs and the Nintendo Switch 2

During its most recent Direct presentation at the start of April, Nintendo
showed off more of the Switch 2 than it ever had before. That included the
reveal of the April 9 pre-order opening date, in addition to the original
$450 starting price. Shortly after, President Trump announced sweeping
tariffs on China and other countries, prompting Nintendo to delay pre-orders
in the US and Canada.

In a reversal, President Trump later announced a 90-day pause on steep
tariffs affecting 75 countries, but also announced that the tariff imposed on
China will go up even further (right now, it sits at 145 percent).

We now know that the original $450 price for the Switch 2 will remain the
same in the US and Canada, but based on its official statement, it appears
Nintendo is leaving the door open for potential future price increases.

We also know that Nintendo started moving some of its Switch console
manufacturing to Vietnam in 2019. The increased tariff for Vietnam was set to
be 46 percent, but that's temporarily on hold in favor of a 10 percent tariff
thatΓÇÖs in effect for the 90-day pause period.

It has been speculated that Nintendo will boost production of Switch 2
consoles in Vietnam so it can stay on schedule, even if it sells the console
at a loss in the short term. It appears the company will have to seriously
ramp up production to keep up with Switch 2 demand: According to Nintendo,
2.2 million people entered the pre-order lottery in Japan alone, which is far
more devices than it is expected to deliver in that region on launch day.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nint...
on-restocks-from-walmart-gamestop-target-best-buy-and-other-retailers-
140931360.html?src=rss

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