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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
Here's how the Amazon glitch works
For those of you joining us for the first time today. Welcome. Here’s how the Amazon glitch works.
Basically, Amazon isn’t updating the main Switch 2 listing when stock goes live. Instead, it’s been quietly loading consoles into its system without changing the product page. The only way to buy one is by using a direct link that skips the listing entirely and takes you to your basket.
If the console’s in stock at that moment, it’ll appear with a quantity of one and let you check out. If not, you’ll just see an empty basket. The trick is to refresh that page over and over until something shows up. It’s boring, but it works. Kind of.
Amazon only appears to be restocking the Nintendo Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World
Amazon only seems to be replenishing its supply of the Nintendo Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World, rather than the standalone console.
While it costs slightly more – £429.99 for the bundle vs £395.99 for the standalone console – it’s actually cheaper than buying the game on its own. If you bought Mario Kart World separately, you’d be paying a huge £74.99. This way, you’re essentially only paying £35 for the game.
There are still Nintendo Switch 2 consoles available to pre-order at Amazon
Once again, Amazon is the only reliable place to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 console. I say reliable – I should really say... unreliable but it works with persistence.
Stock keeps appearing through that backdoor checkout link, but never for long, and never with any warning. Still, it’s the only method that’s worked more than once this week, so it’s worth trying if you’re still on the hunt.
You’ll need to use the direct add-to-basket link, not the main product page. If it shows as empty, just keep refreshing — stock is still dropping in small, random bursts.
Nintendo Switch 2 stock tracker, activate
It looks like quite a few of you had success with Amazon pre-orders yesterday. Thanks to everyone who messaged me on Instagram to share their wins. It’s great to see that the workaround is actually working for people, even if it takes a bit of patience (and a lot of refreshing).
Now that we’re into May and launch day is just over a month away, I’m hoping more retailers will start to roll out a second wave of consoles and bundles soon. I’ll be keeping an eye on everything as it happens. Stay tuned!
It's oh so quiet
It’s been another quiet day for the Nintendo Switch 2. Once again, the only way to secure a console has been to use a weird Amazon workaround that lets you bypass the main product page and go straight to your basket.
Tedious and hard to pull off, some of you have managed it. I’d recommend continuing to refresh the page for the best chance of securing a console.
How to pre-order a Switch 2 in the US
While it’s been fairly quiet in the UK, the US has had its fair share of pre-order chaos too. Retailers like Walmart, Target and GameStop all went live on 24 April, but stock vanished within minutes. Some sites even crashed under the demand.
If you’re in the US or trying to order one abroad, I’ve put together a full guide on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the US.
How to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US
What comes in the Nintendo Switch 2 box?
While we wait for stock to reappear, here’s a quick reminder of what you actually get when you buy a Nintendo Switch 2.
The standard box includes the console, two Joy-Con 2 controllers, a dock, HDMI cable, power adapter, and wrist straps. If you pre-order the Mario Kart World bundle, you’ll also get the game pre-installed.
No surprises, but always worth knowing before you check out.
When could the next wave of pre-orders begin?
It’s been pretty quiet on the pre-order front. Aside from a brief drop at The Game Collection and some really tedious restocks at Amazon, it’s been almost silent.
So, when’s the next wave likely to happen?
There’s no official word from Nintendo or the retailers yet, but if I had to guess, I’d say we’ll see more pre-orders go live around mid-May, possibly in the two-week run-up to launch.
That timing would make sense logistically, and it lines up with how things usually go in the lead-up to a big console release. It’s what happened with the original Switch, and it’s pretty common with other major hardware launches too.
I’m also expecting some retailers to hold back stock for release day itself (5 June) either for delivery or collection. I’ll be keeping an eye on everything and will update this blog as soon as I spot any movement.
Nintendo's rolled out a new update in preparation of the Switch 2 launch
In the absence of stock, here’s some good news from Nintendo HQ.
Nintendo has just rolled out a chunky update for the original Switch, ahead of the Switch 2 launch in June. Version 20.0.0 brings in a handful of new features, including GameShare and the Virtual Game Card system – which lets you share digital games with another console, much like swapping physical cartridges.
There’s also a new transfer option baked into the System Settings menu, making it easier to move your data from a Switch to a Switch 2 using local communication – or via a temporary server if you're trading in early.
Plus, eagle-eyed users may notice some new eShop colours, profile icons (Donkey Kong’s looking especially fresh in his new Bananza look), and other small tweaks in preparation for the big launch.
A quick UK stock update
I’m just having a look through the retailers now, and it seems like a barren wasteland out there.
You’ve only got two potential places to secure a Switch 2 at the moment – head in to your local Currys, or try the very tedious method of refreshing the Amazon page over and over again until your basket no longer says empty.