Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Chaotic, as Expected

As I sit down to write this at 11:30pm CT, well past my usual bedtime on a work night, I'm one of countless individuals across the globe—and possibly several other planets—attempting to pre-order the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-orders were scheduled to go live at 9pm PT/12am ET at three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. However, the rollout has been anything but smooth, resulting in a mix of frustration, disappointment, and rare moments of success for myself and the IGN staff, as well as many others on social media.

At Walmart, hopeful buyers were immediately placed into a digital queue. While some managed to progress and secure a Switch 2 in their cart, others are still stuck on a "stay in line" screen with no clear indication of when or if they'll get their chance. Even those who made it through to the purchase stage encountered baffling error messages.

Target, initially appearing more promising without a queue, quickly saw a surge in reports of error screens during the purchase process. Some customers thought they had successfully pre-ordered only to receive cancellation emails shortly after, while others found the Switch 2 mysteriously removed from their carts mid-transaction.

The Nintendo Switch 2 sold out instantly at Target. This is unreal bro. I refreshed on the second it turned 12 am. Actually unreal pic.twitter.com/LAQ4lC03qw

— Kenj (@Kenjdx) April 24, 2025

Best Buy's pre-orders were delayed, displaying "Coming Soon" for half an hour before slowly admitting customers into a digital queue. While some are now receiving purchase confirmations, others face the same errors and restarts. Additionally, some customers are dealing with fraud alerts and financial issues that further complicate the process.

By the time I finished writing this, Target and Walmart had sold out, and while more are getting through at Best Buy, many of us are still stuck in long queues. Some have received cancellation or delay notices without any new delivery dates or options to reorder.

2 minutes.... from r/Switch

Target cancelled my order 10 minutes after placing from r/Switch

As the night progresses, more successes are expected, and there's still hope for pre-orders at GameStop tomorrow at 11:00am ET, both in-store and online, as well as at other retailers in the future. Additionally, some Nintendo account holders may receive an email in May inviting them to pre-order directly from Nintendo, though demand in Japan has reportedly exceeded supply projections.

Bots are the worst from r/Switch

For those not deeply invested in Nintendo or willing to wait, it's easy to dismiss the chaos. However, for dedicated fans, this follows a series of confusing and frustrating events. The initial reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 was exciting, but the pricing of the system and its accessories, coupled with a pause in pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs, has left many feeling overwhelmed. The subsequent restart of pre-orders without adjusting the system's price, and the confusing plans for physical and digital software pricing and formats, have only added to the confusion. Nintendo's lack of transparency about costs and offerings has left fans uncertain about securing a system near launch, especially with looming concerns about future price increases and supply shortages.

Yet, for those eager to play Mario Kart World at launch, this is the current reality. If you're still trying to secure your pre-order, here's how to navigate the process: