Nintendo Store Limits Switch 2 Preorders to Curb Scalping

The much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch on June 5, 2025, and it's poised to be a highly sought-after item. To ensure that genuine Switch enthusiasts secure their pre-orders, Nintendo is rolling out a strategic pre-order system on the official My Nintendo Store. If you have a Nintendo Account, you can register your interest in pre-ordering the Nintendo Switch 2 system and select accessories. Once it's your turn, you'll receive an invitation email, valid for 72 hours, allowing you to place your order.

There's a catch, though. To get prioritized, you'll need to have been an active Switch user. Specifically, by April 2, 2025, you must have a Nintendo Switch Online membership with at least 12 months of paid membership and have logged a minimum of 50 hours of gameplay on your old Switch. According to the fine print on the site, "Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025."

Nintendo has made it clear that these invitations are "non-transferable" and will be sent to the email address linked to the registering Nintendo Account. There's also a one-per-account limit for the system and each accessory during this invitation period. You can express interest in either a base Nintendo Switch 2 system or one bundled with Mario Kart World. Once you've placed your order, it will be shipped after purchase, with an approximate shipping date provided at the time of ordering. Nintendo warns, "Please note that release-day delivery is not guaranteed due to processing and shipment times."

While not explicitly stated, these measures seem designed to ensure that the Nintendo Switch 2 is purchased by gamers who intend to use it themselves, rather than by scalpers looking to resell it at a profit. Scalping has plagued recent releases like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Valve's successful queue system for the Steam Deck, which tied purchases to Steam accounts and checked account creation dates, seems to have inspired Nintendo's approach with the My Nintendo Store process.

Although there will be other avenues to acquire a Nintendo Switch 2, this method offers dedicated Switch 1 owners a chance to avoid the chaos of securing a launch day pre-order. With the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 just around the corner, these pre-order measures could make a significant difference for true fans of the franchise.

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