The Nintendo Switch 2 has a June 5 release date, where it will launch alongside games like Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077 and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
While most pre-order customers will receive their consoles in the post, some stores in the UK will be open at midnight.
In fact, one store will even have limited stock available for customers without a pre-order.
Smyths has confirmed plans to open all of its stores at midnight for fans looking to collect their Switch 2 pre-orders and purchase one without a pre-order.
In a post on X, Smyths told fans: “If you selected Click & Collect for your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order, you can pick it up from 12:01am–12:30am on 5th June!
“All stores open for collection. Don’t forget your photo ID. Limited stock available in-store for purchase. Get ready to level up at midnight!”
As the tweet points out, click and collect customers will need photo ID in order to get their hands on the console.
If you don’t have a pre-order, then I would recommend phoning ahead to see how many units they have for sale and what time they recommend arriving.
Stores will officially be open from 12.01am BST until 12.30am BST, but you might need to get in line much earlier, especially if you don’t have a pre-order.
I contacted the Milton Keynes store to see how many units they would have available for sale without a pre-order, and the assistant told me between 40-50.
Smaller stores will likely have fewer units and bigger stores a lot more, so definitely phone ahead to make sure.
Elsewhere, Currys has also announced plans to hold a midnight launch, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Only one Currys store will open at midnight and it’s exclusively for customers who have pre-ordered the console.
So far, only the Oxford Street store in London has announced plans to open its doors at midnight, so if you’ve pre-ordered from this particular Currys, then you can collect it tonight. It’s worth phoning ahead to double check opening times.
Argos, meanwhile, has announced plans to restock the device on its website at 6am BST UK time on June 5. Argos customers can collect their consoles in-store or have them delivered on the same day. There’s no word on whether they will open their doors early, so again, it’s worth calling ahead to find out about your local store.
The Nintendo Switch 2 aims to improve on the original model by offering a bigger display capable of playing games at 120 frames-per-second. It also supports 4K visuals when docked and HDR support.
Elsewhere, Nintendo has incorporated a new GameChat feature, which lets users talk to friends, share screens and connect face-to-face when using a camera.
The console launches with games like Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy.
The real highlight, however, is Mario Kart World, which features open-world driving and new online modes.
Upgraded versions of existing Switch games will also be available, including Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.