Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders: fans wonder if it will arrive on time
Many Nintendo fans experienced the chaos of Switch 2 pre-orders last night. Now that some of the dust has settled, will the new console arrive on June 5th?
1
Last night, many US and Canada residents got their first opportunity to lock down a pre-order for the Nintendo Switch 2. It was a chaotic night of websites crashing and refusing to load, Best Buy also waited until twenty minutes after the expected pre-order time, adding further confusion to the mix. Personally, and what seems like a fairly common experience for many people, I was able to get a console into my cart on Target’s website, but after half an hour of trying to check out and only getting errors, Target emptied my cart and sent me back to the main site. Thankfully, it seems like many people were able to successfully pre-order, now it’s just a matter of when it will actually arrive.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are in, now will they arrive on or after the release date?
The Nintendo Switch 2 is launching globally on June 5th, 2025, just a handful of weeks away. But it seems the chances of receiving your console that day are even less likely than successfully pre-ordering one. Walmart originally promised 9:00 AM deliveries on June 5th, but many people have received emails that their order is delayed. Sites like Best Buy and Target gave a shipping window between June 6th and June 11th. Some buyers will be able to pick up in store, but each location will only have so many to hand out.
For those who ed their interest on Nintendo’s official site, the gaming giant posted an update this morning. That statement explains how “thrilled” Nintendo is for the enthusiasm for the new console, “but delivery by June 5th is not guaranteed. Your invitation email may arrive after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. We’ll confirm your shipping date upon purchase.” This could just be a preparatory message after huge turn out for interest registration in Japan but based on how many people seemed to be trying last night, it’s a warning anyone interested in this new console should take seriously.
Many people saw the pre-order through Nintendo as a back-up option if third-party retailers didn’t work out. Waking up this morning after tough luck last night to read this new message does not inspire confidence. Registration of interest on Nintendo’s site has some qualifications, such as a twelve-month active NSO subscription and fifty hours of gameplay logged. If you want to learn more about those qualifications and how to your interest, check out our guide. The most important detail is whether or not you’ve opted to share information with Nintendo, because that’s how they will be able to check your playtimes.
Ultimately, we will have to wait to see what happens. Nintendo has promised that at least the first batch of invitations will be going out on May 8th, two weeks from now. These first invitations should go out to those who ed the earliest and meet the qualifications. So, if you have not ed yet, it can’t hurt to jump in now, but chances are you won’t be included in the first batch of invites. There may be more opportunities to pre-order elsewhere ahead of that, but at this point it’s hard to know when or where.
For now, best of luck to anyone trying to get their Nintendo Switch 2. Now that the initial chaos is over, chances are it will get easier. But people will probably still be searching for one well after its June 5th release date.
