As I sit here at my desk at 11:30pm CT, well past my usual bedtime on a work night, I'm joining millions around the globe in the frenzied attempt to pre-order the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2. The pre-order window opened at 9pm PT/12am ET across three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. However, the launch has been anything but smooth, with the IGN team and countless others experiencing a rollercoaster of challenges and occasional victories.
At Walmart, eager buyers were quickly funneled into a digital queue, a system designed to manage the overwhelming demand. While some managed to navigate through and secure their consoles, others remain stuck on a "stay in line" screen, left in limbo with no clear end in sight. Those who reached the purchase stage encountered unexpected error messages, adding to the chaos.
Target initially seemed more promising without a queue, but the situation quickly deteriorated. Customers faced numerous error screens during the checkout process, and even those who thought they had successfully pre-ordered received cancellation emails shortly after, forcing them to start over. Some reported the console being mysteriously removed from their carts mid-process.
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, leaving the "Coming Soon" message up for half an hour before finally allowing access to a digital queue. While some are now receiving confirmation emails, many others, including myself, are still trapped in the queue with no end in sight. Additionally, some customers are facing fraud alerts from their banks, further complicating the process.
2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }As I write, Target and Walmart have sold out, and while Best Buy continues to process orders, the wait remains frustratingly long for some. Reports of canceled or delayed orders with no rescheduling options are surfacing, adding to the dismay.
Target cancelled my order 10 minutes after placing
byu/syde1020 inSwitch
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }Despite the current hurdles, hope remains. More pre-order opportunities will arise at GameStop starting at 11:00am ET tomorrow, both in-store and online, and other retailers will likely follow suit. Additionally, some Nintendo account holders might receive an exclusive pre-order invitation from Nintendo in May, though this is not guaranteed, especially given the high demand in Japan that has exceeded expectations.
Bots are the worst
byu/CANfilms inSwitch
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }For those not deeply invested in the Nintendo ecosystem, it might be easy to dismiss the chaos. However, for dedicated fans, the situation is particularly frustrating. The rollout of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been fraught with confusion, from pricing to accessory costs and software formats. The initial excitement of the reveal was quickly overshadowed by concerns over pricing and tariff-related delays, which have only added to the current pre-order debacle.
Yet, for those eager to dive into games like Mario Kart World at launch, this is the reality we face. Here's a guide for those still attempting to secure their pre-order amidst the ongoing challenges.
