The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The April 2, 2025, Nintendo Switch 2 preorder date was an early report, not the final North American schedule. Nintendo later said preorders through participating North American retailers would begin April 9, 2025, ahead of the console’s June 5, 2025 launch. Those dates have passed, so they are historical—not a current buying alert.
What the original preorder report said
On March 25, 2025, Tom’s Guide reported that restock tracker Matt Swider expected preorders to open Wednesday, April 2, at 10 a.m. ET. The report said Swider thought Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop and Target would start taking orders then. Tom’s Guide added on March 27 that Best Buy Canada had confirmed April 2.
The April 2 timing was an early tip, and the 10 a.m. ET time was a prediction reported by Tom’s Guide—not confirmation that every retailer actually opened orders at that time. The same article’s discussion of a $399 price was speculation, not Nintendo’s official price announcement. Read Tom’s Guide’s March 25 report and March 27 update.
When Nintendo set North American preorders and launch
Nintendo’s later announcement set the North American preorder start for April 9, 2025, through participating retailers, and the console’s launch date for June 5, 2025. That superseded the earlier April 2 report as the announced North American schedule. Nintendo’s North American announcement is the primary source for those dates.
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The timing was not a universal schedule for every country. Nintendo also announced the system’s release in Japan, Europe, Australia and parts of Asia, but regional preorder dates and prices should be checked against the announcement or retailer information for that market. Japanese pricing applies to the Japanese versions and is not a global price. Nintendo’s Japanese release announcement provides the territory and Japan-specific details.
What the historical dates mean if you are shopping now
The April and June 2025 dates do not establish current stock, pricing, delivery timing or availability. Check a retailer directly for a live listing and confirm the total price, seller, delivery or pickup estimate, and return terms before ordering. If a listing includes a bundle, compare its contents with the standalone console rather than assuming the bundle is a better value.
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Nintendo says the Switch 2 supports compatible original Nintendo Switch games, although some titles may not be supported or fully compatible. Additional storage uses microSD Express cards, so check that format when comparing cards. See Nintendo’s Switch 2 system information for compatibility and storage details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the sellout report does—and does not—show
Target said its Target.com preorder allocation on April 24, 2025, sold out in less than two hours. That describes Target’s own online allocation; it is not a measure of demand across all stores or preorder channels. Target also said stores would sell systems on launch day, June 5, while Target.com and app sales were planned for June 6, subject to supply. Those were launch-era plans, not a current availability guarantee. Target’s announcement records its own preorder and launch plans.
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Best Value
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
