5 Tips for Surviving the Nintendo Switch 2 Launch

Everything has been a blur since April 2nd if you are an active fan of Nintendo games. With the full presentation for the Nintendo Switch 2 unveiled, the hype was real—and so was the rage once the price was announced. Crazy tariffs delayed pre-orders for North America. Online retailers put on a real shit show as people jostled for their chance to get their console secured, with all the elegance and class of going on an old episode of Jerry Springer.

Yet despite all of this madness, we are now less than a month out from the console being in peoples’ five chubby digits. The time to rev our engines, pick our favorite racer, and take off like a bat outta hell in Mario Kart World has almost arrived. But in the meantime, let’s talk about a few things that could make that several week wait be a bit more pleasant, or that could help you keep your cool if something gets messed up.

I’ve been playing games since the 80s and buying my own consoles since the early 2000s. Here are five tips to keep things as painless as possible.

1. If you pre-ordered, keep an eye on your order for any changes.

Yes, it’s the unthinkable. You snagged that sweet pre-order from Target or Best Buy or Amazon. But then the 5th gets here and…nothing. Crickets. “Hello? Anybody home?”

When placing a pre-order for a high priced, high demand product it’s a good thing to pop in and take a look to ensure things are working smoothly. E-mail inboxes can get messy and it could be really easy to miss a critical message informing you of something important. Or you might think that since the 5th is Launch Day that your console is arriving that day, when in reality it’s scheduled for a different day entirely.

I’m not suggesting that you should lie awake at night worrying about this. But with any long term plan, sparing an occasional glance to make sure you have the correct details about what you’ve ordered can spare your sanity a lot of stress.

2. If you didn’t get a pre-order, be patient and avoid scalpers

The unthinkable happened. You made sure you were awake at midnight. Your card info was up to date. You had tabs opened for all the major retailers. You were up til 1:30 am even though you had to wake up for work at 7 a.m. And you did not secure the console. Now what?

This happened to Jay and I. Jay fixed it by doing an in-person pre-order at Gamestop. And I requested an invite to pre-order via Amazon Canada and got accepted there. But what if all hell has broken lose and you just can’t make it happen?

Should you turn to eBay?

NO!

First off, because buying from a Scalper just encourages more people to be scalpers. But that’s the obvious and moralistic answer. Anyone with two brain cells knows that.

The reason I’m listing this as a tip is because there are anti-scalpers on eBay who are using tricky language to get people to send them hundreds of dollars pre-ordering a Switch 2, while in the description it states that the buyer is only pre-ordering an image of the console. I don’t want this to be you. So please, be patient and order from a reputable retailer.

3. If you’re unsure whether to get the system, make sure there are at least two titles you want.

I normally buy my consoles a few months after launch. I’m getting the Switch 2 early to avoid any nonsense with tariffs, and because Jay wanted to get it at launch for Mario Kart World. I know my boyfriend. I know that if I wait to get the console and he spends two months on Mario Kart he’s not gonna want to go back to it.

But I also know that the Switch 2 already meets my primary criteria when I go to buy a new console. I’ve used the same question for years. “Does this have two titles available when I go to purchase it that I want to play?”

Mario Kart World is a no-brainer. It’s going to be a fun, sociable experience and I’m looking forward to trying all the tracks and exploring the open world. But the system is also launching with the Bravely Default Remaster, which I’m looking forward to sinking several dozens of hours into and enjoying on a large screen.

It also has future titles I’m interested in, like Donkey Kong Bananza and Pokemon Legends Z-A. I could even grab Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma if I want to, though I’m debating whether I’ll get that on Switch 2 or Steam.

My point, though, is that a console is only as good as the games you plan to play on it. So there’s not really a reason to rush into a buying decision unless you see launch games or announced future titles that catch your eye.

I’m sure that for a lot of people Mario Kart World will light a fire under their butts and make them flex their credit cards. As a multiplayer title, there is a chance to cause a feeling of FOMO and people’s spending can loosen when they feel that way. I can’t recall the last time I saw a Nintendo console pin their launch on a multiplayer game, and it’ll be interesting to see how that pans out. Just remember: there are still people playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as we speak. Don’t get rushed into buying a new console unless or until YOU want to.

4. As we approach your new Switch 2 arriving, clean up the space where you’re going to set it up.

It never fails. You pick up your new console from the store or your front porch. You bring it inside. You’re eager to start playing. But your entertainment area is a mess. Think ahead! You just invested $500 USD / $700 CDN on the latest and greatest that Nintendo has to offer. The least you can do to take care of your new purchase is to ensure there is a clean, secure spot for it to sit.

While we’re on the subject, have you checked your TV to see whether you have an HDMI space available to plug it in? Is another device getting the boot? Are you getting a new TV? Do you need to look into an HDMI Switch so you can plug multiple devices into it from one HDMI port on your TV? (Don’t get that confused with a splitter—that does the opposite.)

My point is: when that shiny new Switch 2 gets here, you’re gonna wanna plug it in and go. You’re waiting, and possibly going stir crazy, anyway. So you might as well ensure that launch day goes as smoothly for yourself as possible.

5. If you can’t get it right now, know that Launch starts when YOU are ready.

Lemme repeat that for those in the back: launch starts when YOU are ready. It’s fine to participate in the hype, but never let yourself become a victim to it. Or allow anyone—real, digital, or otherwise—to make you feel bad about your financial situation, or feeling however you feel about a gaming system.

The Switch 2 is the first time I’ll be getting a console at launch. And technically, if everything goes according to plan, Amazon Canada will be delivering that to me on the 9th. So even I’m waiting a few days. But I usually wait six months to a year before I buy a console, even when buying them as an adult.

There are some solid reasons to wait on a console purchase, even outside of financial concerns. As I talked about earlier, it’s best not to get a console until there are at least two games that have launched that you want to play. You can check game reviews, console reviews, and avoid any launch window glitches, malfunctions, or bugs. There will undoubtedly be unique versions of the Switch 2 down the road and you might find yourself in a great position to get a more unique version that reflects a game or series you love. Or maybe you’re waiting to see if there will eventually be a Switch 2 Lite or Switch 2 OLED?

The Switch 2 will be here before we know it. I hope that at least one of the things I’ve discussed here can be of help to you. So, are you getting the Switch 2 or waiting? Is there something launching that you’re excited about, or a favorite franchise that will finally get you to click buy? Or are you among the crowd who feel that they can change the gaming industry via a boycott? Whatever your plans, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.