Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order chaos erupts

As I write this at 11:30pm CT (well past my weekday bedtime), I'm joining what seems like the entire global population in scrambling to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2.

Pre-orders opened at 9pm PT/12am ET across three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. The rollout has been chaotic - while some IGN staff secured their consoles, most of us encountered error messages and website crashes. Social media reflects similar frustration, with only scattered success stories.

A Tale of Three Retail Disasters

Walmart implemented a digital queue system that proved unreliable - some shoppers progressed to checkout while others remained indefinitely stalled. Even successful queue navigation often led to perplexing errors like this:

Target initially seemed promising without a queue system, but buyers soon reported widespread errors. Some received order confirmations only to get cancellation notices moments later, while others saw consoles mysteriously vanish from 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

— Kenj (@Kenjdx) April 24, 2025

Best Buy's pre-orders launched thirty minutes late, slowly funneling shoppers through another unpredictable digital queue. Many encountered banking verification issues or other technical barriers during checkout.

The Aftermath

During the time it took to document this fiasco, Target and Walmart officially sold out. Best Buy's queue continues processing orders sporadically, with some purchasers receiving cancellation notices hours after apparent success.

Additional pre-order opportunities arrive at GameStop at 11:00am ET today (both online and in-store), while select Nintendo account holders may receive direct purchase invites in May. However, Nintendo already warns that Japanese demand has dramatically exceeded supply expectations.

A Perfect Storm of Frustration

This chaotic rollout compounds months of confusing messaging about the Switch 2's pricing structure and format policies, with Nintendo providing little clarity on component costs or content availability. Between tariff-related price adjustments and ambiguous software policies, consumers face mounting uncertainty about both availability and value proposition.

For determined buyers aiming to play Mario Kart World at launch, the battle continues. Here's the latest pre-order guidance for those still attempting to secure their console.