Switch 2 is heading for a record-breaking launch in Japan
Demand is already outstripping supply for Nintendo Switch 2
Update: Get the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order invite this week, and let us help you track the next restock at Walmart and other stores in the US.
📈 Nintendo's President has announced that the Switch 2 has experienced record-breaking demand in Japan
😬 Over 2 million people had registered an interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from Nintendo directly, and there isn't enough stock to go around
🤞 Online and retail stores will also be offering lotteries to gain access to a console, as well as Nintendo putting unsuccessful applicants into a second official lottery
🙏 Nintendo is also ramping up production to try and fulfil as many pre-orders as possible before the console's release date
Nintendo has admitted that Switch 2 stock in Japan may not be enough to fulfil everyone's pre-orders, as a result of the unprecedented demand they've received for console.
According to a statement by Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, 2.2 million people applied to purchase a Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store when pre-orders went live.
This is a number that he said “far exceeds expectations” and “far exceeds the number of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles that can be delivered at launch”, meaning there will be people who are disappointed as Nintendo can't immediately fulfil the huge demand.
To put the pre-order demand in perspective, the Switch sold around 330,000 units at launch and the PS2 currently holds the record for day one sales with around 980,000 units sold in its first weekend. Judging from Nintendo’s statement, the Switch 2 could easily eclipse that total.
Nintendo is taking measures to fulfil the demand, both by attempting to ramp up production of the console, and by opening up lotteries tomorrow at retail and online stores in Japan in the hope it can get more consoles into hands, according to Furukawa. The console will also be sold through Nintendo upon its release date on June 5.
The problem in Japan is that there is a Japanese language only version of the console that's being sold only in its home country at a significant discount to the international version.
The hope with this Japanese-specific model was that it would counter the issues experienced by the weak Yen in Nintendo’s home market and also deter scalpers from picking up the console at a cheaper price.
The Switch 2 has also faced some well-documented issues in the USA due to tariffs, ranging from the pre-order initially being delayed to the potential for console price rises in future, and a bump in the cost of accessories, too. The console goes on pre-order in the USA at midnight, April 24. We’re tracking all the updates on our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order live blog.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.