Chaos Surrounds Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders

Getting your hands on a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order is turning out to be a formidable task. This process kicked off on April 24 at midnight Eastern, prompting a surge of gamers and scalpers eager to secure the next-gen console.

As soon as Nintendo announced the April 24 pre-order date, major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy quickly followed suit, sharing their own pre-order time slots. They all planned to go live at midnight Eastern, whereas GameStop set its pre-order launch for the next morning at 11 a.m. ET, with in-store pre-orders available as soon as the doors opened.

Fans flocked to Target, Walmart, and Best Buy in hopes of pre-ordering the Switch 2, but not everyone walked away satisfied. Many took to social media to vent their frustration over diverse issues encountered with each retailer.

Turning to Target, some had luck securing their orders, although it wasn’t without problems. Users reported being stuck on perpetually loading screens, and I even faced a situation where Target attempted to bill me for two consoles when only one was in my cart.

Over at Best Buy, the Switch 2 pre-orders seemingly didn’t hit on time for everyone, contrary to their midnight promise. A flood of tweets highlighted the issue, although some individuals reported a smooth transaction. My experience was marked with a bit of a delay; pre-orders surfaced about 30 minutes late, and initial attempts led to a sold-out notice. Luckily, refreshing the page seemed to do the trick, eventually placing me “in line” for the console. Best Buy’s status as a go-to launch night destination explains its popularity among fans.

Walmart presented another mixed experience. Like Target and Best Buy, success varied widely. While some placed orders without a hitch, others, including myself, endured a prolonged virtual waiting game—hovering around 40 minutes on my end.

For those who missed out during this initial frenzy, GameStop presents another opportunity as it launches its pre-orders at 11 a.m. ET on April 24. It’s wise to swing by your local store early, as fans are already gathering to nab a spot in line.