Nintendo Switch 2 Surprises Fans by Popping Up in Stores Before Official Launch

Proof of retailers receiving Nintendo
Switch 2
stock has emerged online and it wouldn’t be surprising if the console leaked ahead of release.

Since the proper unveiling of the
Nintendo
Switch 2 last month, Nintendo has gone all in on marketing the new console through
hands-on events
, developer interviews, and advertisements on its Nintendo Today! app.

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That’s not enough for the most avid fans though, who are hungry for more glimpses of the new hardware, as its launch date inches ever nearer. We’re talking about the kind of fans who started
queuing up to buy one
in early April.

Now, fans have leapt onto a photo of a shipment of consoles that recently arrived at
US
retailer Target, further reinforcing how close the Switch 2 is to be released.

The photo was taken by someone claiming to be a Target employee, who shared it
on Reddit
. Although it only shows featureless cardboard boxes in a cage, they said the store had received 40 units; a 50:50 split between the Switch 2 on its own and the
Mario Kart World
bundle.

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They shared
a second photo
to prove the boxes did contain Switch 2s, but both pics have since been deleted, along with the poster’s Reddit account. Probably because snapping pics of stock before it’s gone on the shelves would have, or already has, landed them in trouble.

Unsurprisingly, at least one of the photos can still be found
on X
, with
YouTuber Jake Randall
sharing their own photo of Switch 2 stock he spotted at a Target store.

Surprisingly, some of the Switch 2 boxes weren’t sealed in a separate cardboard box to hide what they are and while the stock was secured in a cage, the cage was left on the shop floor, which is why Randall was able to grab a picture.

We’ve already seen a few people crack jokes about stealing one, but you know someone has genuinely considered it. However, they’re unlikely to work well out of the box, as the console is expected to have a large day one patch, just like the Wii U did, and it probably won’t work online at all at launch.

Nevertheless, knowing what people are like, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Switch 2 broke its street date and people began sharing pictures and videos of it earlier than they should.

That would be in keeping with how the Switch 2 has been handled. While rumours of a Switch successor had made rounds for years,
genuine leaks
ratcheted up towards the end of 2024.

By the time Nintendo formally showed the console off in January, its design was already widely known, with accessory company Genki showing off a
3D replica of the Switch 2
beforehand.

That’s, unsurprisingly, come back to bite Genki since Nintendo has
filed a lawsuit against the company
, accusing it of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising.

Even without the photos, though, it was safe to assume retailers would be receiving Switch 2 stock this week, since the console launches next Thursday on June 5.

Stock is almost certainly already in the UK but Nintendo tried to get as much into the US as possible early on, so it would arrive before Trump started imposing tariffs.

So far, though, the signs are that most countries will have plenty of stock, although pre-orders did
sell out in Japan
, with Nintendo issuing an apology for failing to meet demand.