• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
Arts & EntertainmentNintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders start Thursday. Here’s your best chance of getting your hands on one

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 23, 2025, 11:12 AM ET
The Nintendo Switch 2 will go on sale April 24.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will go on sale April 24. Courtesy: Nintendo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.
  • Nintendo Switch 2 preorders begin April 24. Getting your hands on one could be tricky. Retailers will begin taking preorders at different times.

The Nintendo Switch is the company’s top-selling home console of all time, so anticipation for its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, is absurdly high. That could make it especially hard to get your hands on one at launch.

Recommended Video

Console launches are almost always feeding frenzies. While manufacturers swear up and down that they don’t constrain supply, there never seems to be enough to meet demand. That means people line up for them and they become the red-hot holiday item topping everybody’s list, which garners the company some free public relations as media write stories about how popular the game system is. It’s a circle that the industry has exploited for decades.

(Nintendo has not commented on how many systems it will have available for preorder.)

This year, console launches come with a twist, though. Not only is the Switch 2 priced 50% higher than its predecessor, the threat of that price going even higher continues to loom, even with Nintendo’s affirmation that it will keep the $449 price point.

Gamers don’t generally pay a lot of attention to trade wars. That’s the mundane, real-world stuff they’re trying to avoid. But President Donald Trump’s threatened levies have led Nintendo to warn that price adjustments could come to “any Nintendo product” (including the Switch 2) in the future, depending on market conditions.

So, how can you get your hands on a Switch 2 at its advertised launch price?

Stay up late

Major retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, will begin conducting Switch 2 preorders at 12:00 a.m. on April 24. The system will almost certainly sell out, so if you need to have one on day one (or want to avoid a possible shortage around the holidays), staying up late tonight could be your best bet.

You might want to avoid Amazon in this case. The online retailer hasn’t announced any information on Switch 2 preorders so far, so there’s no guarantee it’ll be offering the consoles in advance.

Be sure to be logged into your account on whatever site you choose—and it’s not a bad idea to have multiple browsers open for several stores, in case the rush of wannabe buyers slows things down. Start hitting the refresh tab at midnight to claim a system.

It might even be worth preordering from more than one retailer, in case one oversells and pushes your order to a later date.

Take an early lunch Thursday

If you have no luck with online preorders, GameStop stores will begin taking preorders for the Switch 2 at 11:00 a.m. on April 24.

Buy direct from Nintendo (if  you qualify)

Nintendo is taking preorders for the Switch 2 as well, but not on April 24—and not everyone will be eligible.

The company is letting players who have logged at least 50 hours of play on their Switch and have had an active Switch Online account for over 12 months register their interest with the company. Some of the people who do this (Nintendo has not given a number) will receive a note on May 8, inviting them to accept a preorder. You’ll have 72 hours to accept that offer.  

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Humanoid robot holding soccer ball.
InnovationSports
Meet the soccer-playing humanoid robot that just delivered the game ball at the Brazil v. Norway FIFA World Cup match
By Catherina GioinoJuly 5, 2026
4 hours ago
Seventh film in animated franchise beats the fifth installment of another cartoon juggernaut at the box office
Arts & EntertainmentMovies
Seventh film in animated franchise beats the fifth installment of another cartoon juggernaut at the box office
By The Associated PressJuly 5, 2026
8 hours ago
k
CommentaryBox office
How Hollywood’s youngest filmmakers are exposing Gen Z’s real problem with AI
By Reid LitmanJuly 5, 2026
14 hours ago
David Senra poses in a black shirt in front of bookshelves
Startups & VentureMedia
How David Senra built the podcast the world’s most powerful CEOs can’t stop listening to
By Lily Mae LazarusJuly 5, 2026
17 hours ago
The Taylor Swift economy: Star-studded wedding at Madison Square Garden lifts luxury brands Christian Dior, Christian Louboutin, and Cartier
Arts & EntertainmentLuxury
The Taylor Swift economy: Star-studded wedding at Madison Square Garden lifts luxury brands Christian Dior, Christian Louboutin, and Cartier
By Kimberlee Kruesi, Andrew Dalton and The Associated PressJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago
The 1964 box set that predicted Dylan going electric — and still explains American music today
Arts & EntertainmentMusic
The 1964 box set that predicted Dylan going electric — and still explains American music today
By Ted Olson and The ConversationJuly 4, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
2 days ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
AI
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 3, 2026
3 days ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
12 hours ago
The stock market is about to suffer a 'snapback' and will lose much of this year's gains as 'speculation is hitting extreme levels,' BofA warns
Investing
The stock market is about to suffer a 'snapback' and will lose much of this year's gains as 'speculation is hitting extreme levels,' BofA warns
By Jason MaJuly 5, 2026
6 hours ago
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
Success
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 3, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.