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 Nintendo Switch 2 went live at 9pm PT/12am ET at three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. However, the rollout has been chaotic. Both IGN staff and fans across social media have experienced a range of issues, from frustration and disappointment to the occasional success.
At Walmart, eager buyers were quickly placed into a digital queue, but many are still stuck on a "stay in line" screen with no clear timeline for when they might actually purchase a console. Those who do get through often encounter error messages, complicating the process further.
Target initially seemed more promising without a queue system, but soon reports surfaced of error screens and unexpected cancellations. Some customers thought they had successfully ordered, only to receive cancellation emails shortly after. Others found the console mysteriously removed from their carts mid-purchase.
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, showing "Coming Soon" for half an hour before finally allowing customers into a queue. While some are now receiving confirmations, others are still facing errors and restarts. Additionally, some customers reported fraud alerts and other financial issues, further complicating their attempts to secure a console.
2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }By the time I finished writing this, both Target and Walmart had sold out, and while more people are getting through at Best Buy, many, including myself, remain stuck in a seemingly endless queue. Others have received cancellation or delay notifications without any rescheduling options.
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 starting at 11:00am ET today, both in-store and online. Additionally, some Nintendo account holders might receive an email invitation in May to pre-order directly from Nintendo, though this is not guaranteed, especially given the high demand in Japan.
Bots are the worst
byu/CANfilms inSwitch
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }While those less invested in Nintendo might find the chaos amusing, it's deeply frustrating for fans. The reveal and rollout of the Nintendo Switch 2 have been confusing and frustrating at every turn. The initial excitement was overshadowed by the high cost of the system and accessories, and further complicated by a pause in pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs, followed by a resumption without price adjustments. Nintendo's lack of clarity on software pricing, formats, and content has only added to the confusion and concern about future price hikes and supply issues.
For those desperate to play Mario Kart World at launch, this is the current reality. If you're still trying to secure a pre-order, here's how you can navigate the process.
