Last week, a Best Buy leak surfaced, stating, “Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders will commence on April 2,” followed by another leak asserting, “Pre-orders will actually start on April 9” – and while it’s always wise to stay skeptical, it appears both sources were accurate. In a recent announcement made after the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation today, Nintendo confirmed that North American pre-orders will launch on April 9. Meanwhile, fans in other regions have reported that they’ve already begun.
“Pre-orders for various German retailers are live!” enthusiasts claim numerous sources on Reddit. Similarly, retailers in the UK also seem to have started offering both pre-orders for consoles and Mario Kart World bundles, with some users on Reddit asserting to have successfully pre-ordered a Switch 2 at retailers like the toy store Smyths.
Though many of these stores’ live pre-order links appear to be down or entirely sold out, GamesRadar+ was able to verify that Amazon UK still allows potential customers to “request an invite” for pre-ordering the Switch 2. In contrast, Nintendo’s North American site indicates that fans will not receive an invite link until “starting May 8, 2025” – which has to be a typographical error, right? GamesRadar+ has contacted Nintendo for clarification.
In conclusion, GamesRadar+ contributor Scott McCrae has already successfully received his invitation from Nintendo UK – however, the invitation stipulates that he’s only been “chosen for the chance to pre-order” and does not guarantee he will receive a console.
It’s a bit puzzling, but the Switch 2 has thus far been engulfed in so much mixed messaging that it’s becoming clearer to me. While the Switch 2 carries an MSRP of $450, for instance, it’s priced roughly $60 higher in the UK and $25 lower in Australia. What’s the current status? What is happening? Don’t ask me. Are you able to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2? Am I having a good time? Uh, maybe.