Update 4/4/2025: Due to uncertainty regarding tariffs in the US, Nintendo has delayed the Switch 2 pre-order date until further notice. The article below has been updated to reflect this change.

The long-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 Direct aired today, and it was jam-packed with announcements, including hardware specs, new Mario Kart, Kirby, and Donkey Kong games, and a long list of third-party titles coming to the console. The one thing it didn't detail, however, is the pre-order process, which is a little convoluted.

Pre-orders at participating retailers will go live at an undetermined date, due to concerns around tariffs in the United States. A number of retailers have online product pages, which you can expect to be updated closer to the pre-order date. The time of day each site will launch the product will likely vary by retailer. Here are some you can bookmark now:

• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart

That said, based on how recent console launches have gone, it will likely be a fairly frantic process with scalpers attempting to buy up stock to resell at a higher price. Once we learn specific launch times, you'll want to be right on the webpage the moment it goes live to maximize your chances.

To avoid that scramble, you can try to grab your console directly from Nintendo, but there's more to that process than meets the eye. If you head to Nintendo's website, you'll be able to sign up to indicate interest in purchasing a system once they're available. To be clear, this is not a pre-order, but a sign-up list to indicate who might want to pre-order, so there's no payment information required. You will, however, need an active Nintendo account – more on that below. Once you sign in, you can choose between a base system for $449.99 USD or a bundle including a digital version of Mario Kart World for $499.99 USD.

The timeline here is different, however. Invitations from Nintendo won't arrive until a month or so after, on Thursday, May 8. They'll also come in waves, with additional invites sent out to eligible accounts until the store is open to the general public. Invitations will also only go to account holders that meet the following "priority criteria":

• The account must be the one that purchased a Nintendo Switch Online Membership.
• That Online Membership must have been active for a minimum of 12 months.
• You must have opted to share gameplay data and played at least 50 hours of games.

If your account fits all three of those criteria, you'll be able to order a console to be shipped to your address – no Nintendo Store pickups are allowed. The link will be active for 72 hours, so it will be less intense than the mad dash on other sites. It also specifies that launch day delivery is not guaranteed and that purchases will be limited to one system per account, though you can also buy accessories for the system.

For more Switch 2, check out the reveal of Kirby Air Riders, read about the console's hardware specs and new GameChat feature, and see which Switch 1 games are getting enhanced editions on the new platform.