Those logging onto their email this morning may have a surprise in store, whether elation or crushing disappointment. Nintendo is sending out its first invites for its Switch 2 Experience for hands-on time, with the upcoming console set to start in April. Nintendo declared it would share more about the sequel Switch that month, but this will be the first time regular folks can handle Nintendo’s next handheld console.
Those who get a Switch 2 Experience confirmation email will see the “Congratulations!” at the top of their page, followed by a date and time for their session. Nintendo planned events in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas, Texas in the U.S., plus multiple other events around the globe from April through June. The first event will occur April 4 through April 6 in Manhattan, New York.
YOOO I GOT IN!!! Oh my god, against all the odds I actually did it! I can’t wait to see the switch 2 in person!! Now I’m trying to get my best friend irl a ticket so we can go together, but other than that if any of my mutuals or cool people are going at this time, hit me up! pic.twitter.com/yLMGrku14H
— FinnSuzune@FNFRoyalRumble (@FinnSuzune) January 27, 2025
If you’re like me, you’ll log on to your email as excited as a kid on Christmas, only to find Nintendo has dashed your hopes with a “Sorry, but you and/or your party were not selected in this drawing.”
The email then offers a link to Nintendo’s registration page, where you can hop on a waitlist. The waitlist should be on a first-come, first-served basis in case anybody who received a ticket cancels within the next three months. It will become available starting Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. PT. Maybe this is a message from Nintendo that it’s better to abandon hope before your dreams can be dashed once more.
Nintendo’s January Switch 2 reveal didn’t offer much insight into the upcoming console beyond screen size, ergonomics changes, and the new magnetically attached JoyCons. We still have to rely on the rumor mill for system specs, rumored upscaling capabilities, and possible launch title lineup. In the meantime, third-party peripheral makers have already set preorders for cases, driving wheels, and other accessories. A recently revealed patent from Europe hinted that Nintendo could be offering some more Wii-like motion-sensing capabilities for the Switch 2, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the tech will pertain to Nintendo’s upcoming console.
As for when we may finally get our hands on the console, it may come after Nintendo’s planned Direct online press conference slated for April. Some fans got excited over a Finnish online retailer’s supposed May 9 release date. Still, we have our doubts about its veracity, considering its stated 999 euro price tag and the use of screenshots ripped straight from Nintendo’s reveal video. If anything, these rumors prove that the wait for more Switch 2 details will be as excruciating as the long road to the initial announcement.
