Switch 2 Pre-Orders Descend into Chaos

As I write this, it's 11:30 PM CT—well past my usual bedtime on a weekday—and like seemingly everyone else on Earth (and perhaps a few neighboring planets), I'm attempting to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2.

Pre-orders were scheduled to go live at 9 PM PT / 12 AM ET across three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. In reality, the process has been chaotic. Many of my colleagues at IGN, along with countless fans online, have tried securing a console with wildly mixed results—ranging from frustration and disappointment to the rare success story.

At Walmart, hopeful buyers were immediately placed in a digital queue. While some progressed and even added the Switch 2 to their cart, others remain stuck on a "stay in line" screen with no estimated wait time or guarantee of success. Those who reached checkout often encountered confusing error messages or baffling glitches.

Target skipped the queue system initially, giving fans a glimmer of hope. But reports quickly surfaced of error screens during checkout. Some shoppers saw order confirmation screens, only to receive cancellation emails minutes later, forcing them to start over. Others found the Switch 2 mysteriously removed from their cart 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 didn’t even begin on time. The site displayed "Coming Soon" for about 30 minutes before slowly directing users into a digital queue. While a few have since received purchase confirmations, many are still facing the same errors and restarts seen elsewhere. Across all three retailers, some customers also dealt with fraud alerts from their banks or payment issues, further complicating the process and costing them a chance to pre-order.

2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch

By the time I finished writing this article, Target and Walmart appeared to be officially sold out. Best Buy's queue continues to inch forward, though some—myself included—have been waiting for over an hour with no progress. Others have received emails about canceled or delayed orders, with no new delivery date or option to reorder.

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

We'll likely see more successful orders in the coming hours, and there's always the option to try GameStop when pre-orders open today at 11:00 AM ET, both online and in-store. Additionally, select Nintendo account holders may receive a direct invitation to pre-order from Nintendo in May—though there's no guarantee, and the company has already noted that demand in Japan far exceeds expected supply.

Bots are the worst
byu/CANfilms inSwitch

If you're not a dedicated Nintendo fan, it might be easy to dismiss this frenzy. But for those who've followed the Switch 2's rocky announcement and pre-order rollout, it's been one frustration after another. The initial excitement was quickly tempered by the system's high price point and confusing accessory costs—made worse when Nintendo paused pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs, then resumed without lowering the console price. Add to that the ongoing confusion around digital and physical software pricing, formats, and content, and it's no surprise fans are upset about the uncertainty of securing a console near launch, especially with potential price increases or stock shortages ahead.

Still, if you want to play Mario Kart World on release day, this is the situation we're in. For those still trying, here’s how to improve your chances of securing a pre-order.