Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders: A Chaotic Launch

As I sit at my desk at 11:30pm CT, well past my bedtime on a work night, I'm trying to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2, along with what feels like the entire world and several other planets. Pre-orders were supposed to go live at 9pm PT/12am ET across three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. However, the rollout has been nothing short of chaotic. Both the IGN staff and I, along with countless others on social media, have experienced a rollercoaster of frustration and occasional success.

At Walmart, eager buyers were quickly funneled into a digital queue. While some managed to progress and secure a Switch 2 in their cart, many are still stuck on a "stay in line" screen with no clear timeline or guarantee of success. Those who finally reached the purchase stage encountered baffling error messages and other technical issues.

Target initially appeared more promising without a queue, but soon, reports of error screens and failed transactions flooded in. Some buyers thought they had successfully pre-ordered only to receive cancellation emails shortly after. Others found the Switch 2 mysteriously disappearing from their carts mid-purchase, forcing them to start over.

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 by half an hour, displaying a "Coming Soon" message before slowly admitting customers into a digital queue. Some are now receiving purchase confirmations, but others are facing the same errors and restarts as at other retailers. Additionally, some have encountered fraud alerts from their banks, further complicating the process.

2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }As I write this, Target and Walmart have sold out, and while some are getting through at Best Buy, many, including myself, remain stuck in endless queues. Others have received cancellation or delay emails with no new delivery dates or reordering options.

Target cancelled my order 10 minutes after placing
byu/syde1020 inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }In the coming hours, more successes may emerge, and there will be another chance to pre-order at GameStop at 11:00am ET today, both in-store and online. Additionally, some Nintendo account holders might receive an email in May inviting them to pre-order directly from Nintendo, though this is not guaranteed, especially with the high demand in Japan outstripping projected supply.

Bots are the worst
byu/CANfilms inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }For those not deeply invested in Nintendo or willing to wait, the chaos might seem trivial. However, for Nintendo fans, the frustration is compounded by a confusing rollout. The excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal was quickly overshadowed by the system's high price and the cost of accessories and games. Pre-orders were paused due to U.S. tariffs, only to resume without price adjustments to the console itself, leaving many bewildered. Nintendo's unclear communication about software pricing, formats, and content has added to the confusion and anxiety about securing a system at launch, especially with potential future price increases and supply issues looming.

For those eager to play Mario Kart World at launch, this is the current reality. Here's how to navigate the pre-order process if you're still trying.