How to buy the Nintendo Switch 2: Latest stock updates at Walmart, Best Buy and more
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available in the US for more than two weeks — but good luck finding one. While millions of people have been able to snag the $450 console since it officially went up for sale on June 5, online inventory dried up fairly quickly at most stores soon after launch and remains difficult to find today. Best Buy restocked as recently as June 23, but those units — which required in-store pickup — quickly went of out of stock. Target, likewise, has some stock in at least one locality we checked, but it requires in-store purchase. You may also be able to grab a bundle at Costco if you’re a member there. Otherwise, it’s been slim pickings. As of today, we’re not seeing almost no availability — though you may have different luck in your locality when checking inventory, online or in person.
Again, venturing to a physical retail store can sometimes be the winning hack here. We can’t guarantee you’ll still be able to snag a Switch 2 the old-fashioned way, but it’s worth checking if a local Target, Best Buy, Walmart or GameStop — the four official retailers Nintendo lists on its store page — still has consoles in stock. For now, you can skip Amazon, though: For whatever reason, the biggest online retailer doesn’t even have a product page for the Switch 2 (but it does seem to be selling games and accessories). All that said, if you’re still on the hunt, we’ve rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up.
Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2
Walmart began online purchases at midnight ET on June 5. Currently, both the Mario Kart World bundle and the standalone console are “available” via third-party retailers, but listed for much higher than their standard $500 and $450 price tags — with limited quantities available. We wouldn’t recommend buying these; instead, wait for the console to be listed at its regular MSRP. Naturally, the world’s largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location.
Best Buy started selling the Switch 2 at its retail locations on June 5. It previously said it wouldn’t sell the handheld at its online store during launch week, but it made additional consoles available on June 11 around 12PM ET, and again on June 23. Those restocks lasted for the better part of an hour and required in-store pickup, but the device is now sold out again.
Target had the Switch 2 in stores on June 5 and restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It then had another restock on June 12 around 2:30PM ET, but that appears to have died out in less than an hour. As of June 24, we’re seeing in-store stock in at least one Philadelphia location.
GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for the past week, with the listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle now pointing to a “Find a Store” page. We saw a $625 bundle that includes Mario Kart World, a microSD Express card and a few other accessories pop up a bit more frequently than the standard SKUs, but it’s no longer listed (and it was kind of a raw deal anyway).
You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since launch day. Sam’s Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it’s out of stock now. We also saw the console at BJ’s early on June 5, but it’s no longer live there.
Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on launch day, but that’s dried up. Only those with Verizon service were able to order, and the process was apparently somewhat rocky.
Amazon hasn’t had any form of Switch 2 listing on its website, nor has it listed Mario Kart World. The company didn’t take pre-orders for the Switch 2 either, so it’s unclear if and when it will sell the device. You can, however, find some Switch 2 games.
Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it’s given no indication as to when it’ll begin sales. It previous showed a couple listings from a third-party seller, but at massively inflated prices.
With all of these stores, we’ve seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2’s biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing.
Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can’t hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don’t expect it to bear fruit immediately — it’s taken weeks for many people who registered in April to receive their invite.
You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second.
Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle:
Costco (membership required)
Sam’s Club (membership required)
Verizon (service required)
Where to buy Switch 2:
Where to buy Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories
Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from its (pricey) Pro Controller to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza, won’t be available until mid-July but is still up for pre-order now.
As of this publication, just about all Switch 2 games are broadly available. Stock for the accessories remains a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo’s official Switch 2 carrying cases have been the main exceptions, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away.
Mario Kart World ($80)
Donkey Kong Bananza ($70)
Additional Switch 2 games
Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60)
Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95)
Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85)
Switch 2 Camera ($55)
Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60)
Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40)
Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25)
Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85)
Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40)
Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120)
Nintendo GameCube Controller for Switch 2 ($65)
Nintendo (Switch Online required)
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-buy-the-nintendo-switch-2-latest-stock-updates-at-walmart-best-buy-and-more-120039799.html?src=rss
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available in the US for more than two weeks — but good luck finding one. While millions of people have been able to snag the $450 console since it officially went up for sale on June 5, online inventory dried up fairly quickly at…
