Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders: A Chaotic Launch

As I begin writing this piece, I'm sitting at my desk at 11:30pm CT (well past my bedtime on a work night) trying, along with seemingly the entire rest of the world and the populations of several other planets, to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2.

Pre-orders for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 went live at 9pm PT/12am ET at 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 staff have been attempting to secure our Switch 2s, encountering a wide range of outcomes. Social media is buzzing with reports of similar frustrations, occasional successes, and a lot of confusion.

At Walmart, eager buyers were immediately placed into a digital queue, which moved forward for some, allowing them to eventually add the Switch to their carts. However, many others are still stuck on a "stay in line" screen without any indication of wait time or success likelihood. Those who managed to reach the purchase stage have encountered baffling error messages, as seen here:

Target, on the other hand, didn't implement a queue system, leading to initial optimism among Switch enthusiasts. Unfortunately, this quickly turned sour as numerous error screens popped up during the purchase process. Some buyers thought they had successfully ordered a Switch 2, only to receive cancellation emails shortly afterward, forcing them to start over. Others reported the system being removed from their carts mid-process, adding to the frustration.

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-order process was equally problematic, with the site displaying "Coming Soon" for half an hour past the scheduled start time. Eventually, customers were slowly admitted into a digital queue, but with varying degrees of success. Some are just now receiving purchase confirmations, while others are dealing with the same errors and restarts seen at other retailers. Additionally, some buyers have been hit with fraud alerts from their banks, further complicating the process and denying them the chance to secure a system.

2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }As I write this, both Target and Walmart have officially sold out, while more people are getting through at Best Buy, albeit after lengthy waits. Others have received emails about canceled or delayed orders, with no new delivery dates or options 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 successes, and there will be another chance to pre-order at GameStop at 11:00am ET today, both in-store and online. Additionally, some lucky Nintendo account holders might receive an email from Nintendo in May, inviting them to pre-order directly from the manufacturer. However, there's no guarantee of receiving that email, and Nintendo has indicated that demand in Japan far exceeds their 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, it's easy to dismiss the chaos. However, for dedicated Nintendo fans, this situation is particularly frustrating, especially following a reveal and rollout filled with confusion and exasperation. The initial excitement for the Nintendo Switch 2 was quickly overshadowed by concerns about the system's price, the cost of necessary accessories and games, and the sudden pause and resumption of pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs. Moreover, Nintendo's unclear plans regarding physical and digital software pricing, formats, and content have left many questions unanswered. It's understandable why so many are upset about the uncertainty of securing a system near launch, especially with potential future price increases and supply issues looming.

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