Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders: Chaotic Launch Predicted

As I start penning this article, it's 11:30pm CT, and I'm well past my bedtime on a work night. Like countless others across the globe—and perhaps a few other planets—I'm in the thick of the frenzy to pre-order the 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 rollout has been anything but smooth, leaving myself and many of my colleagues at IGN grappling with varying degrees of success, while social media buzzes with tales of frustration, disappointment, and the occasional victory.

At Walmart, eager buyers found themselves instantly thrown into a digital queue, a system that advanced for some but left others stranded on a "stay in line" screen with no hint of when—or if—they might get their chance. Even those who managed to reach the purchasing stage encountered perplexing error messages or other technical hitches.

Target initially seemed more promising, as it lacked the queue system. However, the joy was short-lived as error screens plagued the purchase process. Some thought they had successfully pre-ordered, only to receive cancellation emails shortly after, while others found the Switch 2 mysteriously disappearing from their carts mid-process, 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-order process was delayed, displaying a "Coming Soon" message for half an hour before finally ushering customers into a slow-moving digital queue. As some began receiving purchase confirmations, others faced the same errors and restarts seen at other retailers. To add to the chaos, some buyers reported fraud alerts from their banks and other financial issues that derailed their attempts to secure a system.

By the time I finished writing this, both Target and Walmart had officially sold out, while Best Buy's queue continued to move at a snail's pace. Some received emails about canceled or delayed orders, with no new delivery dates or options to reorder.

As the hours tick by, more successes may emerge, 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. However, there's no guarantee of receiving this email, and Nintendo has acknowledged that demand in Japan far exceeds their projected supply.

For those not deeply invested in Nintendo's ecosystem or willing to wait, it's easy to dismiss this chaos. However, the frustration is palpable among Nintendo fans, who have endured a rollercoaster of confusion and exasperation since the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal. The initial excitement was overshadowed by the high price of the system and its accessories, compounded by a pause in pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs, only to resume without adjusting the system's price. Nintendo's ambiguous plans for physical and digital software pricing, formats, and content have added to the confusion, leaving many fans in the dark about what they're actually buying and how much it will cost. It's no surprise that many are disheartened by the uncertainty of securing 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.