Smyths Toys organises midnight launch for Nintendo Switch 2!
4 June 2025
This week it’s finally happening: the Nintendo Switch 2 is officially launching in the United Kingdom. After years of anticipation, the company expects to ship millions of consoles on the first day in the United Kingdom alone. Several retailers already mentioned selling out their stock of pre-orders months ago, so expect huge lines in front of stores on Thursday, June 5th.
For the occasion, Smyths Toys have come up with an original way to promote this long-awaited milestone for gaming and esports in the UK. The chain has announced that they will be organising a UK-wide midnight launch for the Nintendo Switch 2. From 12:01 AM onwards, so one minute after midnight, all Smyths Toys stores will be open for half an hour, so people can get their console as soon as the day officially turns June 5th.
Pre-orders and in-store
With the possible mass of people flooding to toy stores on Thursday, Smyths has opted for a limited slot time for their Nintendo Switch 2 midnight launch. Every Smyths store in the United Kingdom will open at 12:01 AM and remain open until 12:30 AM. People who have managed to obtain a pre-order and who selected “Click & Collect” can come to pick up their consoles during that window.
On top of that, there will also be Nintendo Switch 2s for sale in the stores themselves. Keep in mind though, that the stock is very limited and that the consoles are likely to sell out fast. For every purchase, whether pre-ordered or in-store, people will need to show their photo ID.
Other launch events
Even though Smyths Toys is the only chain to organise a midnight launch, the official launch day of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be celebrated in different ways. Smyths themselves will be organising launch events during the day as well for selected stores in Belfast, Glasgow, Hull, Romford and Stockport. Currys is doing the same, though just for its store on Oxford Street in London and only for people who managed to obtain a pre-ordered Nintendo Switch 2.
Confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 titles
Apart from the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, a couple of games for the brand-new handheld console will be introduced as well. On June 5th, two Switch 2 titles will be available to players on release date: Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. These titles are developed specially for the Nintendo Switch 2. In the weeks and months after the launch, more native Switch 2 games will be launched, including Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
On top of that, there is a whole host of existing games that have been upgraded specially for the Nintendo Switch 2. These come in the form of paid download / upgrade packs for existing Switch games that are enhanced when played on the new console. This means players will immediately have access to various big and popular titles, including Hogwarts Legacy, Street Fighter 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.