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'm joining countless others across the globe—and possibly several other planets—in the frantic rush to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2. The pre-order window opened at 9pm PT/12am ET, with three major retailers—Walmart, Best Buy, and Target—supposedly ready to go. However, the actual rollout has been nothing short of chaotic. The IGN team and I have been trying to secure our units with mixed results, and social media is abuzz with stories of frustration, disappointment, and occasional success.

At Walmart, hopeful buyers were immediately placed in a digital queue. While some managed to progress and eventually add a Switch 2 to their carts, many others are stuck on a "stay in line" screen with no clear timeline or guarantee of success. Those who made it through to the purchase stage have encountered baffling error messages and other issues.

Target initially appeared to be a smoother experience without a queue, but soon reports surfaced of error screens disrupting the purchase process. Some buyers received confirmation emails only to find cancellation notices in their inboxes shortly after. Others found the Switch 2 mysteriously disappearing from their carts mid-transaction, 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, displaying a "Coming Soon" message for half an hour before finally starting to process orders. Some customers have successfully received purchase confirmations, while others face the same errors and restarts. Additionally, some are dealing with fraud alerts from their banks and other financial issues that further complicate the process.

2 minutes.... from r/Switch

By the time I finished writing this, both Target and Walmart had sold out, and while some are getting through at Best Buy, many, including myself, remain stuck in a seemingly endless queue. Others have received emails about cancellations or delays without any new delivery dates or options to reorder.

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

In the coming hours, more success stories may emerge, and there's still a chance to pre-order at GameStop tomorrow at 11:00am ET, both in-store and online, or at other retailers in the future. Some lucky Nintendo account holders may also receive an email from Nintendo in May, offering a direct pre-order, though there's no guarantee, and demand in Japan has reportedly far exceeded supply projections.

Bots are the worst from r/Switch

For those not deeply invested in Nintendo or willing to wait, it might be easy to dismiss this chaos. However, it's incredibly frustrating for fans, especially after a reveal and rollout that have been confusing and exasperating. The excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2's initial reveal was overshadowed by the high prices of the system, accessories, and games. Pre-orders were paused due to U.S. tariffs, only to resume without adjusting the system's price, just the accessories. Nintendo's plans for physical and digital software pricing, formats, and content have been unclear, leaving many confused about costs and what they're actually buying. It's no surprise that so many are upset, unsure if they'll secure a system near launch, especially with the looming threat of future price hikes and supply issues.

Yet, 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.