After a trusted insider predicted that Nintendo Switch 2 preorders would start on April 2nd at 10 AM EST, exactly one hour after the Switch 2 launch event started, we have the first confirmation that the handheld console will start selling online next week as soon as the Nintendo Direct press conference is over.
Best Buy Canada accidentally confirmed the preorder date on its website on Thursday. The retailer pulled the page, but not before people saw it.
Spotted by The Verge, the page returns an error. It’ll likely go up again next week as soon as Nintendo’s event begins.
It’s customary for some online stores to prepare such pages for highly-coveted items ahead of time. We see them leak all the time, and we always tell you that we might be looking at placeholder information that’s not based on an actual announcement.
I’d give you the same warning about Best Buy, only this time it’s different. Nintendo’s event is just a few days away. Best Buy is probably making sure it’s ready to take your money as soon as possible once Nintendo signals the opening of Nintendo Switch 2 preorders.
Also, Best Buy hasn’t completely removed the page from its website. The URL still reads, “Nintendo Switch 2 announced launching in 2025.” This looks about as serious as it gets.
Finally, I’ll note that The Shortcut’s Matt Swider said earlier this week that Best Buy would be among the top retailers taking Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in the US next week. That’s an easy guess to make, sure, but Swider is an actual stock expert used to track such information.
Swider predicted sales would start at 10 AM EST on April 2nd, an hour after the Nintendo Direct event starts. This mimics Nintendo’s strategy for the original Switch console. Preorders kicked off right after that console’s launch event eight years ago.
The Verge points out that the Best Buy page did not say when preorders start. We don’t have an official price either, though I’m sure Best Buy is aware of it.
The consensus is that Nintendo will charge $399 for the Switch 2, which is quite reasonable. That’s just $100 more than the original Switch and $50 more than the OLED variant. Considering inflation, a $399 Switch 2 with upgraded performance, a larger screen, and better Joy-Cons is quite a bargain.
You might have to pay more for exclusive Switch 2 games, which might cost $10 more than the Switch 1 exclusives. But that’s just speculation for now.
As for those first-party games, we’re yet to find out what they are, aside from the expected Mario Kart 9 release. The Best Buy page made no mention of Nintendo Switch 2 games, either.
The console’s release date remains unknown, but recent rumors say it will be available in stores in June. Preorders will ship to early buyers on the same date in-store sales start. Best Buy’s listing does not mention a release date.
Back to Swider’s predictions, he also expects Amazon, GameStop, Target, and Walmart to offer customers Nintendo Switch 2 preorders next week.
