Miss out on Nintendo Switch 2 preorders? Here's how to buy one

Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally almost here. And if you missed out on the chance to preorder the console, don't fret: Plenty of retailers including Best Buy and GameStop have officially partnered with Nintendo to ensure that stores have at least some physical stock available for customers on launch day June 5.

To help you find the best way to get a Switch 2 in your hands as fast as possible, I put together a list of all the vital information you need, like where you can buy bundles and consoles, what launch titles will be available, and (most importantly) how much it'll all cost you.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth the upgrade?

The Nintendo Switch 2 has a lot of cool new features and updated specs that do make it a worthwhile option if you're looking to upgrade from a standard Switch or Switch OLED. 

While the unit itself is about the same size and weight as the previous version of the Switch, the Switch 2 sports a 1080p screen for handheld or tabletop mode and full 4K output support for TV play. It also has much more internal storage, with 256GB of space that can be expanded with a microSD Express card for up to 2TB of storage space. A brand new, custom graphics processor by Nvidia helps boost the Switch 2's graphics capabilities, but means you'll have to sacrifice a bit of battery life (6.5 hours vs 9 hours). And one of the biggest draws for the Switch 2 is that it will have exclusive support for Nintendo's GameCube virtual console, featuring classic titles for the popular retro console. 

Also: Nintendo Switch 2 revealed: Specs, pricing, release date, and more official details

Where can you buy the Nintendo Switch 2, and how much will it cost?

If you don't want to put your email on a waitlist to buy directly from Nintendo, there are a handful of official retailers where you can try your luck with at launch:

• Best Buy - Best Buy will officially release their stock of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, games, and accessories at 12:01AM EDT on June 5, with many physical store locations shifting to special late-night hours to accommodate the console launch. Each location will have a limited physical stock for customers who weren't able to secure a preorder, as well as a limited stock of commemorative Nintendo tokens. Best Buy will have dedicated queueing areas for customers to line up for their preorder or launch day purchase, and will issue a limited number of tickets for non-preorder sales. Online customers will be out of luck, as the Switch 2 consoles will only be available in-store.
• Walmart - Like Best Buy, Walmart will have Switch 2 consoles, games, and accessories available to buy starting at 12AM EDT on June 5, with limited physical stock only available for purchase in-store, as well as the commemorative tokens. But buyers beware: not every Walmart location will have the same stock of Switch 2 consoles and bundles, so call ahead to see what they have before you make the trip to stand in line for hours.
• GameStop - GameStop's Switch 2 launch event starts at 3pm local time on June 4, with free Red Bull for GameStop Pro members, commemorative Nintendo tokens, and bonus trade-in savings ahead of the midnight launch.
• Target - Target is the only retailer that will have Nintendo Switch 2 hardware available to buy online as well as in physical stores, but you'll have to wait until Friday, June 6 for digital sales to go live. Target is also offering discounts on Switch 1 games and gaming furniture for you to round out your gaming space and Switch library.
• Costco - Costco didn't have a preorder event for the Switch 2, nor will it have a midnight launch event. Buy it will be offering physical stock for sale starting on June 5, with a strict limit of one console per membership every 7 days. This not only will ensure stock will get to customers on launch day, but helps discourage scalpers who snap up inventory and resell at a ridiculous mark-up.

It should be noted that Amazon is the only major retailer that has been excluded from Switch 2 preorders and official seller status. At the time of this writing, Amazon hasn't had any product listings for Switch 2 consoles or official hardware like cameras and controllers. But you can order third-party accessories like cases and screen protectors, as well as physical and digital copies of games. So after the official launch of the Switch 2, if you see a console listing on Amazon, it's likely a scalper looking to offload units they bought up from another retailer, or a scammer looking to cash in on a highly-anticipated hardware release.

If you're looking to just pick up the console and download some digital titles later, the Switch 2 will run you about $450, though there will be a Switch 2 bundle available with a copy of Mario Kart World that retails for $500. But the pricing doesn't stop there: to take advantage of Nintendo's popular virtual consoles, which offer access to classic titles from the NES, SNES, and GameBoy eras, as well as online multiplayer, you'll have to sign up for a Nintendo Online membership. 

The basic Nintendo Online plan gives you access to online multiplayer as well as the NES, SNES, and original GameBoy virtual consoles, and will run around $20 per year for the individual option or $35/year for the family plan. If you want access to every virtual console as well as special offers, cloud saves, and exclusive game expansions, you'll need the Expansion Pack membership, which is $50 per year for individuals and $80 a year for families. 

What Switch 2 titles and accessories are available at launch?

The Nintendo Switch 2 has a decent lineup of launch titles that will be available on June 5, including:

• Mario Kart World
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
• Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighter's Edition
• Split Fiction
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Yakuza 0
• Sonic X Shadow Generations
• Hitman World of Assassination
• Civilization VII

There are more highly-anticipated titles set to release throughout the year as well, like:

• Donkey Kong Bananza - July
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land - August
• Star Wars Outlaws - September

As for accessories, it doesn't seem like the Switch 2 will come bundled with anything extra unless you opt for the Mario Kart World pack-in game bundle. If you want to take full advantage of the Switch 2's new features like game chat and screen sharing, you'll have to purchase the Switch 2 Camera for $55, the improved Pro Controller for $85, and new kart racing wheel Joy-Con 2 holders for $25.

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What are the Nintendo Switch 2 terms and conditions?

A big point of contention with the Switch 2 has been what the company has buried within the terms and conditions for the console and games. Nintendo has been very upfront with their policy that states customers who purchase a Switch 2 console, accessories, and games do not own them, but own the license to use them. Nintendo reserves the right to remotely disable ("brick") your Switch 2 system if they discover that you have made any "unauthorized modifications" like downloading an emulator or added capture hardware for screen recording in handheld mode. 

While most users won't have any issues sticking to official game releases and Nintendo shop downloads, community modders and digital game archivists who use emulation as teaching and archival tools may run into a heap of legal trouble. Physical game cartridges will also contain no game data, but rather a security key that tells the console that you have purchased the license to download the game from the Nintendo servers; so anyone in a rural area with a slow internet connection is going to have a bad time trying to download large game files.