Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders: A Chaotic Launch

As I begin writing this piece, it's 11:30 PM Central Time — well past bedtime on a work night — and like seemingly the entire world (and perhaps a few neighboring planets), I’m desperately trying to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2.

Pre-orders officially went live at 9 PM PT / 12 AM ET across three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. Or at least, that was the plan. The actual rollout has been anything but smooth. Myself and many others here at IGN have been attempting to secure our Switch 2s, with mixed results. Social media is flooded with similar tales of frustration, confusion, and in rare cases, success.

At Walmart, users were immediately placed into a digital queue upon attempting to purchase the Switch 2. While some managed to complete their orders successfully, others remain stuck on a “Stay in Line” screen with no indication of how long they’ll wait or if it will even result in a purchase. Even those who made it through sometimes encountered strange error messages or unexpected issues:

Target didn’t implement a queue system like Walmart, so early signs suggested more success there. However, reports quickly surfaced of buyers encountering error screens throughout the checkout process. Some thought they had completed their purchase after reaching a confirmation page, only to later receive cancellation emails moments later — forcing them to start all over again. Others reported the Nintendo Switch 2 mysteriously vanishing from their shopping carts mid-checkout.

The Nintendo Switch 2 sold out instantly at Target. This is unreal bro. I refreshed right when it hit 12 AM. Actually unreal pic.twitter.com/LAQ4lC03qw

— Kenj (@Kenjdx) April 24, 2025

Best Buy’s pre-orders didn’t go live on time either. Their site displayed a "Coming Soon" message for nearly half an hour before slowly starting to place users into a digital queue. While some have now received purchase confirmations, others are still dealing with errors, restarts, and delays. At all three retailers, customers have also reported unexpected fraud alerts from their banks and other financial disruptions, preventing successful transactions entirely.

In the time it took me to write this article, both Target and Walmart appear to have completely sold out. While more people are gradually getting through on Best Buy, others — myself included — have been stuck in an endless queue for over an hour. Some have even received emails stating their purchases were canceled or delayed, with no further details or options to reorder.

More confirmed purchases may come through in the next few hours, and there’s still a chance to pre-order tomorrow (technically today) at GameStop, both online and in-store, starting at 11:00 AM ET. Additional retailers may offer pre-orders in the future as well. A lucky few Nintendo account holders might also receive a direct pre-order invitation from Nintendo in May. However, supply remains limited, especially considering Nintendo’s own admission that demand in Japan far exceeds initial projections.

It’s easy to dismiss the chaos if you’re not deeply invested in Nintendo or don’t mind waiting. But for dedicated fans, this experience has been particularly frustrating. The rollout has been confusing from the start — from the pricing of the console and its accessories to unclear policies around physical and digital software formats. Nintendo has offered little clarity on final costs or what exactly consumers are purchasing, compounding the anxiety of simply securing a unit at launch.

If you're determined to get your hands on a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch — whether for *Mario Kart World* or any of the upcoming titles — this is the reality we're living in right now. For those still trying, here's how to proceed with your pre-order attempt: