Want a Switch 2 Directly From Nintendo? Launch Day Release Isn’t Guaranteed

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders from GameStop, Best Buy, Walmart and Target are underway right now with many across the US securing a new console. Nintendo’s own sales will begin on May 8, but the company has clarified that it may not be able to get you a console on launch day.

An update to Nintendo’s website, spotted by The Verge, says, “Due to the very high demand, we will be working diligently to fulfill orders as product becomes available, but delivery by June 5 is not guaranteed.”

Similar happened in Japan ahead of the country’s preorder process where 2.2 million people had signed up for an invitation to buy the console directly from Nintendo.

The company is rumored to have stockpiled over a million units in the US by the end of February, and it’s thought Nintendo would have increased that stock in the last couple of months given US tariffs complicating the process.

If you were planning to rely on an invitation to preorder from Nintendo, it may be that you won’t get the console right away even if you are in the first wave of invites.

Nintendo has also clarified that it will continue to send out further waves of invites and yours may even arrive after the console has launched.

Nintendo’s latest update says, “Your invitation email may arrive after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. We’ll confirm your shipping date upon purchase.”

Nintendo’s system for preordering is different to third-party retailers. It asked people to sign up for an invitation to buy, and it’s working on a first-come, first-served system but it also preferences people who use Nintendo platforms regularly.

Nintendo is prioritizing users who have had an active Switch Online membership for 12 months or longer and have clocked over 50 hours playing on the Switch before February 28, 2025. If you don’t have that, you won’t be prioritized through Nintendo’s preorder system and you’ll be waiting longer for an invite.

The Switch 2 will release on June 5 with Mario Kart World set to be the star launch game and Donkey Kong Bananza following on July 17. The Switch 2 costs $449.99 or $499.99 in a bundle with Mario Kart World included.

About James Peckham

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I’ve written tech news for over a decade, and as a Reporter at PCMag, I cover the latest developments across the gadgets and services you use every day. Previously, I worked for Android Police, TechRadar, and more.

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