Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders open Thursday starting at $450, plus everything else you need to know

Nintendo finally revealed when gamers in the US and Canada will be able to place their orders for Switch 2 consoles. Nintendo announced that Switch 2 pre-orders will open on April 24 in both regions. Price has remained the same, even in the face of tariffs: the Switch 2 console alone will cost $450, while the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will cost $500.

However, Nintendo also stated it will adjust prices of Switch 2 accessories due to "market conditions." "Other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions," the company said in the press release.

Also in its statement, the company apologized for the pre-order delay and reiterated that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be widely available starting June 5.

How to pre-order the Switch 2

In addition to direct from Nintendo, you'll be able to snag a Switch 2 from participating retailers when the console becomes available. Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and Target have confirmed they'll be opening pre-orders on April 24. GameStop said it will be accepting pre-orders both in stores and online, the latter starting at 11AM ET that day. Walmart's and Target's pre-orders will open at midnight. We also expect it to be available from Amazon.

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Amazon:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console

• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Walmart:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console

• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from GameStop:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console

• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Best Buy:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console

• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Target:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console

• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Nintendo:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console

There's some fine-print attached to pre-ordering directly from Nintendo. According to the pre-order page on Nintendo's site, you must be 18 years or older, sign in with your Nintendo account and register your interest in pre-ordering. Then, you'll be sent an invitation email when it's time to play your pre-order, and the invitation will be valid for 72 hours.

And then there's this bit of info: "Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025."

That seems to mean those who have paid for Switch Online in the recent past and those who have spent a good amount of time playing Switch games as of late will get first pick at buying a Switch 2.

Tariffs and the Nintendo Switch 2

During its most recent Direct presentation at the start of April, Nintendo showed off more of the Switch 2 than it ever had before. That included the reveal of the April 9 pre-order opening date, in addition to the original $450 starting price. Shortly after, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on China and other countries, prompting Nintendo to delay pre-orders in the US and Canada.

In a reversal, President Trump then announced a 90-day pause on steep “reciprocal” tariffs affecting 75 countries, but also announced that the tariff imposed on China will go up even further (currently, it's up to 245 percent for that country).

We now know that the original $450 price for the Switch 2 will remain the same in the US and Canada, but based on its official statement, it appears Nintendo is leaving the door open for potential future price increases.

We also know that Nintendo started moving some of its Switch console manufacturing to Vietnam in 2019. The reciprocal tariff for Vietnam was set to be 46 percent, but that appears to be on hold for now in favor of a 10 percent reciprocal tariff that’s now in effect for the 90-day pause period. It has been speculated that Nintendo will ramp up production of Switch 2 consoles in Vietnam so it can stay on schedule, even if it sells the console at a loss in the shor