Nintendo Switch 2 preorders will start on April 9: Everything you need to know ahead of time

The Nintendo Switch 2 will soon be yours, barring any supply chain issues or shortages.

After pulling back the curtain on its new console during a one-hour Direct livestream, Nintendo announced in a press release Wednesday that Switch 2 preorders will open at select retailers on April 9. It’ll be available as a standalone console for $449.99, making it $150 pricier than the original Switch from 2017 and $100 more expensive than the 2021 OLED model. The Switch 2 will also be sold as part of a limited-time $499.99 bundle that includes a download code for Mario Kart World, one of two exclusive launch titles. Its release date is set for Thursday, June 5.

Interested shoppers could sign up for preorder access through the My Nintendo Store at the time of writing. (A Nintendo Account is required.) According to the fine print, priority registration will be given to “registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2024.” Once Nintendo sends invites to all priority registrants, they’ll go out to everyone else who signed up “on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Shoppers will be notified via email when it’s their turn to place a Switch 2 preorder and have 72 hours to do so. The first round of invites will go out on Thursday, May 8, “with additional batches of invitation email sent periodically until purchasing on My Nintendo Store is opened to everyone,” per the FAQ section of the registration page. Preorders are limited to one system per Nintendo Account.

Among third-party retailers, GameStop and Best Buy are both giving shoppers the option to sign up for online availability notifications ahead of time. Best Buy has also announced that it will open its stores for in-person preorder pick at midnight ET on launch day.

The Switch 2 console ships with the following accessories:

• Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)

• Joy-Con 2 Grip

• Joy-Con 2 Straps

• Nintendo Switch 2 Dock

• Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable

• Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter

• USB-C Charging Cable

Nintendo will sell several Switch 2 accessories separately, including a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller ($79.99), a Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($34.99), a set of two Joy-Con 2 Wheels ($19.99), a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera ($49.99), a Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector ($34.99), and a Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case ($79.99). They’ll go up for preorder the same day as the console itself.

According to a January Bloomberg report, Nintendo’s suppliers have been preparing to sell more than 20 million Switch 2 units this year. That’s 5 million more units than the first Switch, so hypothetically, it’ll be a little easier to find in stock at launch.