The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

There’s just over a month to go until the Nintendo Switch 2 is released, and things have gone very quiet. Pre-orders actually got off to a fairly casual (and dare we say, civilised) start back in early April, with the likes of Smyths Toys, Argos, EE and Very boasting large quantities of stock that sat around for hours. But that didn’t last.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has since vanished into thin air, and most UK retailers haven’t restocked in over a week. Only Amazon, John Lewis and The Game Collection have dropped anything recently, and in Amazon’s case, it’s been through a, well...unorthodox checkout link that bypasses the main listing altogether. Even then, stock’s been going in seconds, and nothing has stuck around for long.
It’s not impossible to get one, but it’s getting harder. This liveblog is where we’re tracking every rumoured drop and restock in real-time, so if you’re hunting down a Nintendo Switch 2 console, you’ve come to the right place.
In the US, pre-orders finally went live last week and promptly disappeared. Walmart, Target and GameStop all sold out in minutes.
If you're still trying to get a console, follow along for the latest updates and live pre-order drops from all the major retailers. We’ll be posting in real time as soon as anything changes.
- Amazon: May be in stock using a workaround
- Currys: In-store only, find your nearest branch
- Smyths Toys: Sold out on Friday, 2 May
- The Game Collection: Small restock on Wednesday, 30 April
- ShopTo: Restock sold out on Wednesday, 16 April
- Game: Restock sold out on Wednesday, 16 April
- My Nintendo Store: Sold out on Friday, 11 April
- Very: Last restock on Thursday, 10 April
- EE: Bundles sold out on Friday, 11 April
- JD Williams: Sold out within an hour on Thursday, 10 April
- Argos: Sold out on Thursday, 10 April
- John Lewis & Partners: Sold out on Monday, 21 April
- HMV: Sold out on Thursday, 10 April
- Kaleidoscope: Sold out on Sunday, 13 April
Back soon!
Well, it’s been another long, quiet day with barely any updates. There was a brief restock at Smyths Toys this morning, and of course, Amazon has continued its internal stock drops, but not much else.
Over the long weekend, I recommend keeping an eye on the Amazon checkout link below.
I’ll be back next week. Have a good one.
GTA 6 has been delayed to May 2026
Breaking news. No, there isn’t more Nintendo Switch 2 stock, sadly.
But in an inevitable twist of fate, Rockstar Games has delayed GTA 6, and it will now be released in May 2026, rather than later this year. We were all expecting it, weren’t we?
Take-Two’s CEO previously hinted that the next GTA game would be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2.

GTA 6 release date delayed in official Rockstar Games announcement
Check Amazon for Switch 2 pre-orders
Amazon is still drip-feeding Nintendo Switch 2 bundles into its internal system, so if you haven’t found anything at Smyths Toys, it might be worth trying with Amazon again. You never know, you might get lucky.
Should you upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2?
If you’re fed up of trying to secure one from Amazon and Smyths Toys, should you just fob off trying to get one altogether?
Gaming correspondent Jake Brigstock has had some hands-on time with the Switch 2, and has obviously played the OG Nintendo Switch for years now. He’s compared the differences in his article below to help you decide on upgrading.

Nintendo Switch 2 vs 1: What’s the difference?
It's worth keeping tabs on every possible retailer
Both readers had been trying the Amazon workaround for days without much luck, so finally securing a Nintendo Switch 2 from Smyths Toys (almost at random) must’ve been a huge relief.
Just goes to show it’s worth keeping tabs on multiple retailers, especially with stock seemingly dropping in dribs and drabs.
Amazon is still dropping small quantities, so you might get lucky and secure one there. Remember, it’s from a strange checkout link that bypasses the product page altogether – the retailer isn’t updating that one.
More Nintendo Switch 2 Smyths Toys intel
Barry, one of the readers who managed to snag a Nintendo Switch 2 from Smyths Toys, shared some interesting insight.
He’d noticed a few click and collect pre-orders popping up over the past few days – mostly the standalone Nintendo Switch 2 console and mainly in Northern Ireland branches. But this morning, after checking back on the site daily, he managed to secure the Nintendo Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World at a store in the north of England. I’ve verified his confirmation email.
It looks like Smyths might be quietly releasing stock in small batches, so it’s worth checking in throughout the day if you're still on the hunt.
Check in at your local Smyths Toys store as well
If that doesn’t work, I’d also recommend popping in to your nearest Smyths Toys store.
In early April, the retailer was taking in-store pre-orders. You just had to put down a £20 deposit. Even if it doesn’t say that there’s stock online, the situation may be different in-branch. Let me know how you get on,
The Nintendo Switch 2 may be in stock at Smyths Toys
A big thanks to both Barry and Laura for getting in touch to let me know they managed to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 from Smyths Toys this morning.
Laura was able to get one for home delivery, while Barry secured one via click and collect. I’m not seeing any stock on the website at the moment, but I’d recommend refreshing the page throughout the day in case more becomes available. I’ll be doing the same.
Microsoft's just hiked Xbox prices, will Nintendo follow suit?
Is this a sign of things to come? Microsoft has just increased the prices of its Xbox Series X and Series S globally, following Sony’s decision to do the same with the PS5.
The Xbox Series X will soon cost £499.99 – a £20 price hike – while the Series S has jumped by £50 to £299.99. Sony recently increased the price of the PS5 digital edition console to £429.99 – a £40 price hike.
The Nintendo Switch 2 was already priced on the higher side, so this could be a response to Nintendo setting a precedent and signalling to other gaming firms that they can charge more. But Nintendo might also hike its own prices once Trump’s 90-day tariff pause comes to an end. We’ll have to see what happens.
Check your local Currys store for Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders
If you’re searching for a Nintendo Switch 2, your best bet right now is still Currys.
The retailer reportedly still has stock in-store in certain branches across the UK. I’d recommend taking a gander to your nearest Currys and asking (begging) a staff member to sell you a Nintendo Switch 2.