Summary
- Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are challenging due to high demand and technical issues across multiple retailers.
- Despite Target having some success with pre-orders, Best Buy faced delays, and Walmart had mixed outcomes.
- GameStop pre-orders offer another chance for fans, with some already lining up in anticipation.
As expected, pre-ordering the new Nintendo Switch 2 is proving to be extremely difficult. Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders went live on April 24 at midnight Eastern, with gamers and scalpers alike rushing to secure their pre-order for the next-generation console.
Shortly after Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 pre-order date of April 24, various retailers announced their plans to fans. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy confirmed that Switch 2 pre-orders would go live on April 24 at midnight Eastern, while GameStop said that its pre-orders would go live at 11am ET that day, or in-person whenever one's local GameStop opens its doors.
GameStop Reveals Trade-In Values for Nintendo Switch When Pre-Ordering Switch 2
GameStop shares the trade-in values Nintendo fans can potentially get for their various Switch models when pre-ordering the new Switch 2.
Nintendo faithful looking to pre-order the Switch 2 right away rushed to Target, Walmart, and Best Buy, and while some fans have managed to successfully pre-order the new console, many others have been having serious problems. Social media has been flooded with people expressing their disappointment at the Switch 2 pre-order process, with the problems varying by retailer.
Switch 2 Pre-Orders Sell Out and Causing Major Website Problems
Many Nintendo fans seem to have had the most luck with Target Switch 2 pre-orders, but even then, it hasn't been smooth sailing. Potential Switch 2 early adopters have been hit with endless loading screens while attempting to actually purchase the console. I ran into a particularly strange issue where Target tried to charge me for two Switch 2 consoles despite there being only one in my cart.
Best Buy Switch 2 pre-orders, meanwhile, seemingly didn't even go live at midnight as promised, at least, not for everybody. There are countless tweets about Best Buy pre-orders not being available at midnight Eastern, though others claim to have pre-ordered from the retailer with no issue. In my personal experience, the Switch 2 Best Buy pre-orders went live about 30 minutes late, and after hitting the pre-order button, I was met with a message about the console being sold out. A few more refreshes, and apparently I'm "in line" for one at Best Buy. Best Buy is hosting a midnight launch for the Switch 2, so it's many fans' retailer of choice when it comes to pre-ordering the new console.
Walmart, meanwhile, has been a mixed bag, based on the social media posts. Like Target and Best Buy, some fans have successfully pre-ordered a Switch 2 from the retailer, but others have been dealing with major technical problems. Personally, I have been trapped in Walmart's virtual waiting room for nearly 40 minutes at the time of this writing.
Those that have failed to secure a Switch 2 pre-order during the mad rush tonight will have another chance to claim a console once the GameStop pre-orders go live on April 24 at 11am ET. People are already lining up at my local GameStop, so those planning to go that route may want to drive by and take a look at theirs just in case.
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Operating System
- Proprietary
- Storage
- 256GB internal / MicroSD
- Resolution
- 1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- App Store
- Nintendo eShop
- Wi-Fi
- Yes