While Americans wait for the imminent price increase of the Nintendo Switch 2 console in the country, it seems that Nintendo has already done some work to help address a potential stock problem at launch. According to Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser, there’s already stock of the Switch 2 in the country ready for launch on 5 June.
In an interview with CNBC, Bowser says that Nintendo had time to build up an inventory of consoles to meet the global demand. The phrase “had time” here likely refers to the prolonged announcement of the console, which was originally rumoured to be announced in early 2024. However, we learnt that Nintendo delayed all of its plans to 2025 to prepare console stock and games for the launch.
Of course, Nintendo has not confirmed this was the case, but given the extensive reports of the delay back in 2024, it adds up.
Bowser also raised concerns that while Nintendo has produced ample stock of the Switch 2, he does still see stock as a point of concern. He “hopes” the company can meet the global demand, saying: “We really do hope we can meet that demand. That remains to be seen. That certainly is our goal.”
During the interview, Bowser also confirmed that Nintendo has already shipped Switch 2 inventory to the United States. He didn’t confirm how many units are currently in the country, but there is stock and it is ready for the launch on 5 June.
It is unlikely that the current inventory in the US will cover the launch demand. However, we need to keep in mind that the console might get a price increase following the recent tariffs and the pre-order date delay.
Recent reports claimed that Nintendo already shipped consoles around the world in preparation for the launch. Some reports say around 3 million consoles are currently in the United States, but that is still unconfirmed.
Nintendo has yet to announce the new pre-order date for the Switch 2 in the United States and Canada. The console was meant to go up for pre-order today but has been delayed following the recent tariff hike. Nintendo will likely announce a new price for the hardware and open up pre-orders at a later date. The company says this will not affect the release date.
In South Africa, our Switch 2 console price has been set at R12,499. At the moment, that is unlikely to change. Pre-orders are also open at various retailers. Catch up on our full pre-order guide here.
Source: CNBC
