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UPDATE: Apr. 24, 2025, 9:40 a.m. EDTThis story has been updated with the latest details about Nintendo Switch 2 preorders at GameStop.
Quick links to GameStop's Nintendo Switch 2 preorder listings:
$449.99 (save up to $175 with a trade-in)
Nintendo Switch 2 'Mario Kart World' Bundle
$499.99 (save up to $175 with a trade-in)
As of Thursday, April 24, Nintendo Switch 2 preorders are officially live at most major retailers. ( Nintendo's own preorders will go live in waves next month.) While the Trump administration's tariffs wound up postponing this process , they haven't made the forthcoming console any more expensive: The Switch 2 costs $449.99 on its own , or $499.99 as part of a Mario Kart World bundle . Say it with me now: Ouch.
According to Mashable's Alex Perry, who played Switch 2 for a few hours at a press demo, the system is still a "must-buy" for its performance bump, larger 1080p display, and the ethernet port in its revamped dock. "[Behind] all the price discourse and hardware gimmicks is a device that feels like a huge step up from its predecessor in almost every way," Perry writes. Still, one can be forgiven for not want to drop $450+ on what is ultimately a luxury item in this economy .
Fortunately, there's a relatively easy way for consumers to take a respectable chunk out of the Switch 2's price, and that's by trading in an older Switch system. (No need to hang onto it if you still want to play Switch 1 games: Backwards compatibility is a go on the Switch 2.) GameStop had the best trade-in deal at the time of writing, offering up to $175 off a Switch 2 preorder when you relinquish a previous-gen console now through April 30.
SEE ALSO: How to track Switch 2 preorder availability in case it sells out
More specifically, GameStop will give you $175 in store credit for an OLED Switch, $120 for a standard Switch (V1 or V2), and $100 for a Switch Lite. GameStop Pro members get 10% more credit. Bear in mind that those numbers hinge on the older system being in good condition and including all of its components — i.e., the dock, AC adapter, HDMI cable, and both Joy-Con.
These offers easily beat other Switch trade-in deals at competing retailers. For comparison's sake, Best Buy will give you $90 for an OLED Switch and only $20 for a Switch or Switch Lite. At Target, you can get $25 for a Switch Lite and $20 for a regular Switch.
GameStop's Switch 2 preorders begin online at 11 a.m. ET and in stores when they open on April 24. ( Check your local store's hours before you trek over there: Most locations open sometime between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.) All GameStop stores will open for preorder pickup at midnight on June 5, the day the Switch 2 officially launches.
