As I sit down to write this at 11:30pm CT, well past my usual bedtime on a work night, I'm joining countless others across the globe, and perhaps a few from other planets, in the frenzied attempt to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2. The pre-order window opened at 9pm PT/12am ET at three major retailers: Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. However, the rollout has been far from smooth, leaving many, including myself and a significant portion of the IGN staff, facing a rollercoaster of experiences—from frustration and disappointment to the occasional triumph.

At Walmart, eager buyers were immediately placed in a digital queue. While some managed to progress and secure their systems, others remain stuck on a "stay in line" screen, with no clear indication of when, or if, they'll reach the front. Those who did get through often encountered perplexing error messages, like the one shown below:

Target, on the other hand, did not implement a queue system, initially seeming more promising. However, the joy was short-lived as numerous reports surfaced of error screens disrupting the purchase process. Some customers thought they had successfully pre-ordered, only to receive cancellation emails minutes later, forcing them to start over. Others experienced the Switch 2 being 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-order system was equally troubled, with delays in going live and a slow rollout of the digital queue. Some are now receiving purchase confirmations, but many are still grappling with the same errors and restarts seen at other retailers. Additionally, some customers reported dealing with fraud alerts from their banks, further complicating their attempts to secure a system.

2 minutes....
byu/trashpandacoot1 inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }By the time I finished writing this, both Target and Walmart had sold out, while Best Buy continued to process orders, albeit with long queues. Some customers received cancellation or delay notifications, leaving them without a clear path forward.

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

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }In the coming hours, more success stories may emerge, and there will be another chance to pre-order at GameStop starting at 11:00am ET today, both in-store and online. Additionally, some lucky Nintendo account holders might receive an email invitation in May to pre-order directly from Nintendo, though high demand in Japan suggests limited availability.

Bots are the worst
byu/CANfilms inSwitch

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }For those not deeply invested in Nintendo's ecosystem, it might be easy to dismiss this chaos. However, for dedicated fans, this follows a series of confusing and frustrating developments. From the initial reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 to the pricing of the system and accessories, and the subsequent pause and resumption of pre-orders due to U.S. tariffs, the journey has been anything but straightforward. Nintendo's lack of clarity on software pricing, formats, and content has only added to the confusion, leaving many uncertain about the true cost and value of what they're trying to purchase. With the looming threat of price increases and supply shortages, the frustration is palpable.

Yet, for those eager to play Mario Kart World at launch, this is the current reality. If you're still trying to secure a pre-order, here's what you need to know.