Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders: A Chaotic Launch

As I sit down to write this at 11:30pm CT, well past my usual bedtime on a work night, I find myself, like countless others across the globe and beyond, scrambling to pre-order the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2.

Pre-orders were set to go live at 9pm PT/12am ET across three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. However, the actual rollout has been nothing short of chaotic. Both myself and a significant portion of the IGN team have been attempting to secure our Switch 2s, experiencing varying degrees of success. Social media is buzzing with similar tales of frustration, disappointment, and the occasional victory.

At Walmart, eager buyers were immediately placed into a digital queue, which, while moving for some, left others stranded on a "stay in line" screen with no indication of progress or success. Those who managed to reach the purchasing stage encountered baffling error messages, as seen below:

Target initially appeared to offer a smoother experience without a queue, but soon reports flooded in of error screens disrupting the purchase process. Some customers believed they had successfully pre-ordered only to receive cancellation emails shortly after, forcing them to restart the entire ordeal. Others reported the Switch 2 being removed from their carts mid-process.

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. Some are now receiving purchase confirmations, while others face similar errors and restarts. Additionally, some buyers reported fraud alerts and other financial issues, further complicating their attempts to secure a system.

2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }As I write, Target and Walmart have officially sold out, and while more people manage to pre-order at Best Buy, others remain stuck in queues for over an hour. Some have received cancellation or delay notices without new delivery dates or the ability to reorder.

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

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }In the coming hours, we may see more successful pre-orders, and there's still a chance to pre-order at GameStop tomorrow at 11:00am ET, both in-store and online. Additionally, select Nintendo account holders might receive an invitation to pre-order directly from Nintendo in May, though there's no guarantee, and demand in Japan has reportedly exceeded supply.

Bots are the worst
byu/CANfilms inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }For those not deeply invested in Nintendo's ecosystem, the frenzy might seem trivial. Yet, for dedicated fans, the chaos adds to the frustration following a confusing and exasperating rollout. The initial excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal was overshadowed by high prices for the system and accessories, further complicated by a pause in pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs, only to resume without adjusting the console's price. Nintendo's unclear plans for physical and digital software pricing, formats, and content have only added to the confusion. This uncertainty, coupled with potential future price hikes and supply issues, leaves many fans unsure if they'll secure a system at launch.

For those eager to play Mario Kart World at launch, this is the current reality. Here's a guide for those still attempting to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2.