Play Nintendo Switch 2 early: Registrations to get an early hands-on look go live for everyone today

Early Switch 2
Hands-on Nintendo Switch 2 Experience

The countdown to finally bring home the new Nintendo Switch 2 is officially on. While we all anxiously await the early April Nintendo Direct for more details on the upcoming console, Nintendo is already planning some early hands-on events and anyone has a shot to get it on the action. While these early hands-on looks are sometimes only for members of the press, the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 experience is actually open to all and registration starts this afternoon. 

Get hands-on with Nintendo Switch 2 early

As we briefly mentioned as part of yesterday’s official reveal, Nintendo will be hosting a series of in-person events, allowing gamers to get hands-on with Switch 2 and quite possibly one or more of its launch titles well ahead of release. We are hoping the event will feature what looks to be the Mario Kart 9 launch title and not just an already available Switch game running on the new hardware, but only time will tell at this point. 

The Switch 2 Experience, as Nintendo puts it, will allow gamers to give the new console a go firsthand at, presumably, one of three in-person events Nintendo is hosting stateside starting in April, just two days after the official Switch 2 Direct showcase goes live. 

And again, these events aren’t just for media, anyone can try their hand at getting selected to attend (providing you are a US resident and a have a free Nintendo Account that is). 


Everything we know about Nintendo Switch 2: Mario Kart 9 and launch titles, Mouse-Con functionality, release window, pre-orders, more


Ticket registration for the events opens today at 12 p.m. PT/2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET and will remain as such until January 26 at 11:59 p.m. “local time for each Event location.” 

By the sounds of it, this is not a first-come-first-served type of situation. Anyone can register starting this afternoon right through until January 26 for a chance at a golden ticket. Nintendo says “tickets will be made available through a free-to-enter, randomly selected drawing” and that “registrants will be notified of the drawing results soon after.”

In fact, folks can register for themselves as well as up to “five additional guests” providing each of them “has a Nintendo Account that is linked to the same Nintendo Account Family group.”

So, you’ll need to get really lucky and be able to hit one of the 3-day events at the following locations and on these dates:

  • Nintendo Switch 2 Experience: New York
    • April 4 – April 6
    • Center415
    • 415 5th Ave
    • New York, NY 10016
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Experience: Los Angeles
    • April 11 – April 13
    • Television City
    • 7800 Beverly Blvd
    • Los Angeles, CA 90036
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Experience: Dallas
  • April 25 – April 27
  • Embarcadero Building at Fair Park
  • 1229 Admiral Nimitz Dr.
  • Dallas, TX 75210

Good luck!!

Here’s some additional T&C details from Nintendo regarding the hands-on Switch 2 Experience:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Tickets for Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA or Dallas, TX (each, an “Event”) will be made available through a drawing. To receive tickets, you must register for an Event session and be selected in the drawing. Registration is open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years old or older. Registration begins 12:00 PM PT on 1/17/2025 and ends at 11:59 PM PT local time for each Event location on 1/26/2025. To register, you must (1) have a Nintendo Account (if you don’t have a Nintendo Account, you can register for one at https://my.nintendo.com/), (2) visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/nintendo-switch-2-experience, (3) sign in to your Nintendo Account, (4) select a venue and session time, and (5) complete the registration form. Registrants can register for themselves and up to five additional guests so long as each member of the registration group has a Nintendo Account that is linked to the same Nintendo Account Family group. Registering for an Event Session does not guarantee that you will receive tickets to attend the Event. Odds of being selected to receive tickets depend on the number of eligible individuals that are registered for the applicable session. Details and restrictions apply. For full Terms & Conditions, visit https://nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/events/rules/nintendo-switch-2-experience Sponsor: Nintendo of America Inc. 4600 150th Avenue NE, Redmond, WA 98052.

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