How To Preorder A Nintendo Switch 2 At The Stroke Of Midnight
Now that Easter is in the rear view mirror, we can turn our attention to the next holiday, albeit an unofficial one, which we're dubbing 'Nintendo Switch 2 Midnight Preorder Bonanza!'. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? In case you missed it, Nintendo recently re-announced when Switch 2 preorders will open in the United States, and several major retailers have committed to hosting midnight events (preorder and/or launch) like in the old days.
To quickly recap what led to this point, Nintendo held a special Switch 2 reveal event on April 2, in which it shared more details about the upcoming console, including key specs, capabilities, pricing, and both preorder and launch dates.
Later that same day, the Trump administration announced a new round of reciprocal tariffs, which in turn prompted Nintendo to walk about its initial plan to open up Switch 2 preorders on April 9. It wanted additional time to assess the fluid situation surrounding tariffs and what possible impact they may have on Switch 2 pricing.
Then last week, Nintendo shared some good news, saying that Switch 2 pricing will remain the same (for now), with preorders set to open in the US on April 24, 2025. And as originally announced, the Switch 2 will release on June 5th.
Following the announcement, several major retails in the US announced midnight launch events, hearkening back to the old days when lines would form at places like GameStop in anticipation of a hot new game or hardware release. Here's a rundown...
Target's Switch 2 Midnight Preorder Event
A quick peek at the Switch 2 landing page at Target's website reveals that it is hosing a midnight (EST) launch event for the upcoming console. It states in only slightly uncertain terms that preorders will open up on 4/24 at 12:00 a.m. EST. We say "slightly uncertain" because it's not made clear if this applies to online orders, a special in-store event, or both.
We suspect it means online. Furthermore, the same landing page confirms that it will also open up preorders for games like Mario Kart World and accessories like the "reimagined Joy Con 2 controllers, an all-new camera and more" will also commence at midnight.
Here are some handy links to prepare yourself...
- Nintendo Switch 2: $449.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle: $499.99
- Various Switch 2 Games: $39.99 to $99.99
- Various Switch 2 Accessories
Walmart's Switch 2 Midnight Preorder Event
Another major retailer that's planning to open up Switch 2 preorders at the stroke of midnight is Walmart. Here again, there's no mention of whether this is an online-only affair, in-store event, or both. There's no official announcement that we're aware of, though a company spokesperson confirmed to The Verge that Walmart will indeed be celebrating the Nintendo Switch 2 Midnight Preorder Bonanza! event (yes, we're trying hard for that to catch on). Here again, it's midnight EST.
One thing Walmart is advertising on its website, as shown above, is free delivery by 9am on June 5 for all Switch 2 preorders.
Some more links to prepare yourself...
- Nintendo Switch 2 Landing Page at Walmart
- Nintendo Switch 2: $449.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle: $499.99
- Various Games: $39.88 to $79
- Various Accessories: $12.88 to $89
GameStop And Best Buy Switch 2 Events
Line up late. Power up early.
— GameStop (@gamestop) April 18, 2025
Midnight releases return for Switch 2. pic.twitter.com/Ak5y96eATi
Back in the old days, it wasn't uncommon to line up outside a local GameStop location for a midnight release of a highly anticipated game or hardware launch. That's again going to be the case for the Switch 2, though not for preorders.
Over on X, GameStop confirmed Switch 2 preorders will begin in-store when its doors open on April 24, and online at 11:00 EST on the same day. Then come launch day (June 5), it will host a midnight release event at all stores (and 9:00 p.m. PST).
What about Best Buy? It has not yet announced any special timing for preorders, though it does confirm on its website that it will open its stores on midnight on June 5 for the actual launch.
That doesn't mean it won't host a midnight preorder party like some other major retailers are doing. We'll update this post if we receive any new information. In the meantime, here are some links to be prepared...
Finally, be sure to check out our Switch 2 preorder guide for strategies and tips to beat the scalpers and bots.
