Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide: when the console will be in stock for May
The next confirmed Switch 2 pre-order date is May 8 from the My Nintendo Store, but retailers like Walmart have restocked consoles after cancellations
Update: See our in-depth Nintendo Switch 2 review, which is live after a week of thoroughly testing the new console. Check out our full Switch 2 news stories, too.
🎮 The Shortcut is tracking the next Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order at US retailers
📆 On May 8, My Nintendo Store will send invites to qualified Nintendo fans
🏬 US stores have put canceled Switch 2 orders back on sale at random times
👀 We detected Walmart’s surprise Switch 2 pre-order restock on Saturday
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The surprise Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order at Walmart on Saturday was the last time reservations for the new console were in stock in the United States. However, it won’t be the last time to order the Switch 2 before its June 5 release date.
Refreshing Walmart’s Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle this weekend, along with our reliable restock alerts, proved to be the two-step tactic that helped thousands of The Shortcut subscribers finally order Nintendo’s elusive system. It proved easy to get if you saw our priority Substack Chat alert, or our subsequent email and X posts.
The bad news is that we haven’t seen Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders since then. Not even Walmart+ Week deals have included a resurgence of Switch 2 inventory. But there’s a good chance that more orders will happen at this retailer in a big way soon. Walmart, the largest retailer in the US, is known to restock items in waves whenever it amasses enough cancellations (that may be what happened on Saturday morning).
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But there is one more Switch 2 pre-order confirmed for May 8, and that’s one directly from Nintendo of America through its My Nintendo Store invite.
Walmart: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Target: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
GameStop: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Best Buy: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Sam’s Club: Unknown time Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
It still won’t be any easier securing a Switch 2 console, despite Nintendo’s strict rules. Judging from the massive Switch 2 sales through our own links, demand isn’t going to let up. That’s why we’re staying on top of pre-order restocks at Walmart, Target, GameStop, and Best Buy, as they’re still your best bet for finding Switch 2 in stock.
Confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date
On May 8, Nintendo will send loyal fans an invitation to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 console, launch games, and Switch 2 accessories. But you’ll need to qualify.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order qualifications prior to April 2:
A Nintendo Switch Online membership for at least 12 months
A minimum of 50 hours of total gameplay logged on your Switch 2
Opted into sharing gameplay data with Nintendo in the privacy settings
This non-transferable invite to buy the Switch 2 will be valid for 72 hours and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Nintendo.
Nintendo’s pre-order isn’t guaranteed
Here’s the downside to relying on the My Nintendo Store for your Switch 2 pre-order: You’re not guaranteed to be selected for the invitation on May 8, and even if you are, you’re not guaranteed to get your console by the June 5, 2025, release date.
“Due to the very high demand,” said Nintendo. “We will be working diligently to fulfill orders as product becomes available, but delivery by June 5 is not guaranteed. Your invitation email may arrive after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch.”
This reads as if Nintendo invites will be sent out on a rolling basis as they have more inventory of the console.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order demand surges
Nintendo’s rules for the pre-order are a great way to ensure that Switch 2 pre-orders go to true Nintendo fans and not resellers. But demand for the console outstripped supply at other American stores, and that’s bound to happen here as well.
In Japan, through a similar process, Nintendo saw 2.2 million requests for the Nintendo Switch 2 console and had to apologize for not being able to fulfill the unprecedented demand, saying it “far exceeds expectations.”
Consumers in the United States are going to go through the same thing when trying to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2, and judging from how things went at Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop, most gamers are in for some disappointment.
Matt Swider is the Editor-in-Chief of The Shortcut, the #1 consumer tech publication on Substack. Matt, a trusted technology expert with over 25 years of journalism experience and the former US Editor-in-Chief of TechRadar, can be found on social media through X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.