Interest in the Nintendo Switch 2 continues to skyrocket as we approach the upcoming Nintendo Direct presentation dedicated to the console. The showcase is scheduled for next week, and it’s expected to be where Nintendo reveals Switch 2 pre-order details.
Or at least, it should be where we get information on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders according to The Shortcut's Matt Swider. Swider is one of the internet’s biggest restock trackers having helped thousands of gamers secure hard-to-buy products including PS5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation Portal and the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection.
In a new write-up on The Shortcut, Swider suggests the “Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date is likely Wednesday, April 2, 2025” and also that he believes “the pre-order time will be 10 a.m. ET.”
Swider speculates that at this time Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop and Target will all begin taking pre-orders of the Nintendo Switch 2 console.
Swider’s logic for this pre-order date and time is fairly simple and certainly seems rational. Nintendo will be holding the aforementioned Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2 at 9 a.m. ET and Switch 2 pre-orders dropping exactly one hour later would mimic the strategy deployed with the current Nintendo Switch more than eight years ago.
The same source also suggests that Nintendo Switch 2 will cost $399, making it $50 more expensive than the Nintendo Switch OLED, and $100 more than the first-generation Nintendo Switch cost at launch. Additional tipsters have claimed a $399 price tag, too.
Nintendo is preparing for Switch 2 restock
Ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2’s full unveiling, one of the biggest questions is whether getting hold of a console will be as challenging as it was buying a PS5 or Xbox Series X in the months following their release.
Those involved in the PS5 restock nightmare will remember how much of a struggle it was buying Sony’s console at the time.
Fortunately, Nintendo appears to be aware of the potential stock issues it could face, and in an interview with the Japanese press (translated by VGC), Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said, “We will take all possible measures based on the experience we have accumulated to date (regarding scalpers and the like). We are making preparations.”
Nevertheless, it would be wise to be prepared if you want to secure a Switch 2 at launch. Demand may outstrip initial supply levels. You can register your interest in the console at several retailers including GameStop and Best Buy. Plus, we’ll be tracking Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders through launch and beyond in our dedicated hub.
Let’s just hope that Nintendo’s “preparations” are sufficient to ensure that everybody who wants to purchase a Switch 2 at launch can do so without having to resort to overpaying on the reseller market. After all, there’s nothing we dislike more at Tom’s Guide than scalping.
As for when the Switch 2 might actually be in our hands, the latest rumors indicate it could be set for launch in June. This report comes by way of Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming, and would certainly make logical sense if the console is made available for pre-order next week.
However, this supposed release month is also unconfirmed, so don't go booking your time off work to play Switch 2 at launch just quite yet. For now, all we can do is wait for the upcoming Nintendo Direct and see if all these rumors, leaks and speculation turn out to be accurate.
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