The launch of Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in the US at midnight on Thursday was a complete mess. After almost an hour of errors and delays, many people, including a group of coworkers, finally managed to place their orders, but it was a real struggle.
Target opened preorders first, but the checkout process was problematic. We reached the payment screen only to face errors like address verification loops or lost payment information. Some people who thought they had successful orders later reported cancellations. Target quickly sold out of both the standalone console and the Mario Kart World bundle.
Walmart initially showed a vague queue stating “This deal is almost gone,” but eventually became the saving grace for many people. Some people were able to order the Switch 2 from Walmart around 1:14AM ET. Stock was already running low, and trying to add the bundle to the cart kept showing “technical issue” messages.
Best Buy Delays and Continued Struggles
Best Buy, despite promising midnight ET preorders, displayed only a “coming soon” button for about 30 minutes.
This preorder chaos follows Nintendo’s earlier postponement. They originally announced US preorders would begin April 9th for a June 5th launch, but delayed due to tariff concerns without providing a new date. The company’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, had issued a supply warning in Japan just a day before the US preorder launch.
Nintendo finally announced last week that preorders would start April 24th, maintaining the US starting price of $449.99, though accessories saw price increases. Other territories like the UK had already begun preorders earlier this month.
