Overview

• Switch 2 consoles have appeared on store floors and in private hands at retailers like Target and Walmart days before the June 5 launch.
• Early units display a “connect to the internet and update your system” message, preventing any gameplay until a mandatory online patch goes live.
• Major US retailers including GameStop, Target and Walmart have begun canceling preorders, likely after overselling anticipated launch stock.
• Nintendo confirms that all first-party Switch titles except the Labo VR Kit will run on Switch 2, with compatibility patches and occasional Joy-Con requirements addressing minor issues.
• The new hybrid console adds features such as GameChat, N64 rewind and CRT filters, but faces criticism over $80 game pricing and digital game keys that require downloads.