Preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 will now begin in Canada and the United States on April 24, CGM has confirmed.
Reservations for Nintendo’s new console were originally planned to begin on April 9, but were postponed indefinitely the day prior, “in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions.” The move was spurred by recent tariffs placed on various countries by the United States, affecting the price of components and logistics. The Canadian preorder date was changed to align with the date for American customers, presumably to prevent customers from preordering from across the border.
“We apologize for the retail pre-order delay,” Nintendo of Canada said in a statement to media. “We thank our customers for their patience, and we share their excitement to experience Nintendo Switch 2 starting June 5, 2025.”
Nintendo of Canada reconfirmed that the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 has not changed as a result of the delay. The base console will still retail for $629.99 Canadian, or $699.99 for the bundle with a digital download of Mario Kart World.
However Nintendo has also confirmed that the pricing of certain accessories and games for the console (MSRPs below in Canadian dollars):
- Mario Kart World — $109.99
- Donkey Kong Bananza — $99.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller – $109.99
- Joy-Con 2 Pair – $124.99
- Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip – $49.99
- Joy-Con 2 Strap – $19.99
- Joy-Con 2 Wheel Set – $29.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Camera – $69.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set – $154.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector – $49.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case – $109.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter – $39.99
- Samsung microSD Express Card – 256GB for Nintendo Switch™ 2 – $84.99
Several of these items have also gone up in price from their previously announced American MSRPs, as a necessity from the tariffs. And with the currently tumultuous state of international trade, Nintendo added, “Other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions.“
During this delay, the company had provided clarifications on the requirements to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2 directly from their website. Account holders who meet their criteria—having a minimum of 12 months of paid membership to Nintendo Switch Online, and at least 50 total gameplay hours accumulated before April 2, 2025–can go to the official website to register to receive an invite email.
Retailers such as GameStop Canada will have their own processes for preorders, for those who don’t want to purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 directly (or can’t meet those requirements). Given the rampant reselling fervour for Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X in 2020, Nintendo and retailers are taking whatever measures they can to ensure supplies go to consumers, as intended.
It’s reassuring to know when fans can finally put their claims down for the exciting new console. And while the pricing for games and accessories has grown steep, at least there’s some comfort in knowing the console itself was not affected by the crippling tariffs—which were announced at 26% for Japan and 46% for Vietnam, where the majority of Nintendo’s manufacturing occurs. The looming uncertainty had likely already inflated the Nintendo Switch 2’s initially-announced price to begin with, as games industry analysts have been speculating since its grand reveal earlier this month.
Those who do purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 at or near launch can at least take solace in knowing their original Nintendo Switch games and Online memberships are compatible with the new system. Fans may find themselves relying on backward compatibility to help weather the storm until prices normalize.
