GameStop has announced that all of its US retail locations will have Nintendo’s Switch console available in stores this week. Now, when I say “this week,” the on-sale will begin tomorrow, August 15th, when your local GameStop opens, and I can’t imagine this restock lasting very long. If you can’t make it to a store yourself (or send a friend or family member on your behalf), you might miss your chance. GameStop publicizing availability a day beforehand — and articles like this one — only make those odds slimmer. Get ready to compete with your neighbors.
The Nintendo Switch costs $299.99, and both gray and neon Joy-Con hardware should be available. But the mix will probably vary by store, and can you really afford to be picky? You’ll be able to purchase the Switch all by itself, so don’t worry about having to spend extra money on a bundle that might include items you don’t even really want. I’m looking at you, ThinkGeek.
Buying from GameStop’s website requires spending over $400 for a bundle, so if you’ve been seeking out a Switch all by itself, heading over to your nearest store at the crack of dawn might be your best chance for some time. Amazon occasionally replenishes its stock of Nintendo’s popular console as well, but those units are usually made available only to Prime customers. This is the first time since the Switch’s launch that every GameStop will have at least one unit in stock simultaneously.
There’s now a fairly decent lineup of Switch games to pick from alongside the console. Some good ones are only available digitally, but if you’re into buying physical copies of games, you should consider Arms, Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers among others. The next major release is Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, which comes out on August 29th.