Switch 2 discounts, firmware and pre-orders

Nintendo is already discounting a brand-new console before launch, but only if buyers add one very specific game package. From April 12 to May 9, United States shoppers can save $20 when they buy a Nintendo Switch 2 together with Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, or Walmart. (nintendo.com) The timing is tight because the Nintendo Switch 2 itself launches on June 5, 2026, so Nintendo is using the weeks before release to shape what early buyers put in their carts. The offer works with both physical copies and download cards, as long as the game and console come from the same retailer. (games.gg) Nintendo is not cutting the console’s sticker price across the board. It is giving a bundle-style nudge, which lets the company protect the headline price while still making the first purchase feel cheaper at checkout. (polygon.com) The game choice is not random either. Nintendo’s own promotion says Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 supports up to 4K resolution on a compatible display, with frame rates capped at 60 frames per second for 4K output, so the bundle doubles as a showroom demo for the new hardware. (nintendo.com) At the same time, Nintendo pushed firmware version 22.1.0 to both the original Nintendo Switch family and Nintendo Switch 2. The official patch note is only one line long: “General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.” (en-americas-support.nintendo.com) That sounds tiny, but it landed just weeks after version 22.0.0, which added visible features including new on-screen text and animations for virtual game cards and the ability to save private notes about friends in the Friend List through version 3.3.0 of the Nintendo Switch App. Version 22.1.0 looks like the cleanup pass after that larger software change. (perfectly-nintendo.com) The third piece is software supply, and it is much bigger than Mario. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 is now showing up for pre-order at major retailers, which means one of the biggest action role-playing games of the last few years is moving from announcement stage into actual shelf planning. (amazon.com) Bandai Namco says this edition includes the base Elden Ring game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and extra content such as new armor and Torrent appearance customization. Nintendo’s own regional game pages also list the release window simply as 2026, not a specific day. (bandainamcoent.com) (nintendo.com) Put together, these three moves cover the three things a console launch lives on: price, software, and reliability. Nintendo is using a $20 retail incentive to steer first purchases, a 22.1.0 firmware patch to smooth the machine before June 5, and Elden Ring pre-orders to show that third-party publishers are treating Switch 2 as a real destination, not just a Nintendo-only box. (nintendo.com) (en-americas-support.nintendo.com) (amazon.com)