Getting A Switch 2 Was A Chaotic, Stressful Mess

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For numerous Nintendo enthusiasts, this Thursday morning is marked by hazy vision and abundant coffee consumption, as pre-orders for the eagerly awaited Nintendo Switch 2 console became available at three leading retailers – Best Buy, Target, and Walmart – at midnight last night (ET). Within moments, social media was abuzz with joyful triumphs and disappointing failures, as Switch 2 listings switched from “coming soon” to “out of stock.

At exactly 12 AM as scheduled, both Target and Walmart launched their online stores. In an instant, “out of stock” notices appeared on Target’s listings for both the new Switch 2 console and the Mario Kart World bundle. However, it seemed this was a temporary glitch since, despite some customers encountering payment issues on Target’s webpage, the majority reported successful purchases. In fact, many shoppers found success with Target, especially those using the Target mobile app.

Some users encountered issues where they had to repeatedly click the “place order” button for Target’s system to process the sale successfully. On the other hand, some users experienced problems with their payment methods and addresses disappearing at the checkout screen. In some severe instances, attempting to purchase a pre-order triggered a fraud alert on their account, resulting in the cancellation of the pre-order.

As a gamer, I found myself in a virtual queue at Walmart, hoping to score some fresh gaming gear. At first, it seemed like a smart move, an efficient way to snag the goods before they were all gone. But here’s the catch: there were no visible numbers assigned to us. It was like playing a game of hide-and-seek with the line numbers.

It turned into a race against timehurry up and wait. The line moved slowly, and the anticipation was killing me. Eventually, the lines thinned out, and people started leaving with their new loot. Those who held on were rewarded, but the uncertainty of when it would be my turn left many of us feeling anxious. Whether we got our hands on the goods or not, the stress was real.

While some individuals managed to make their purchases within the 10-minute window by opening another tab, others encountered issues with the system failing to load their cart. Some were stuck in the queue even after it appeared to have been disabled, while a fortunate few could preorder items without waiting in line. Interestingly, the Walmart listing still shows a “preorder” button, although it’s unclear if the items are actually sold out yet.

Well, I finally got around to checking out Best Buy for my preorder, but here’s the kicker – they didn’t start taking orders at midnight as advertised. Instead, it was closer to half past. To make things even more confusing, they employed a virtual queue system without assigning a specific number to each customer in line. So, I had no idea how close I was to wrapping up my purchase.

At Best Buy, I secured my pre-order, but then encountered a 30-minute hold. Surprisingly, this placed me in two separate virtual lines – one on my web browser, another through their mobile app. After a lengthy 50 minutes of waiting, the browser queue unexpectedly returned me to an empty cart. Clearly not pleased, I persisted with the phone queue… and waited… and waited.

After growing weary and deciding to depart from the line, I spotted an intriguing observation: The Switch 2 listing I’d reserved in the app indicated that “the product was not available for delivery” and “the product was not available for pickup.” However, I was certain this wasn’t accurate. With a high chance of missing out on a preorder, I abandoned my initial position, reloaded the page to ensure I could choose my local store, and then re-joined the queue.

Two minutes post-reentry, without exaggeration, I found myself confirming my account and successfully preordering the Switch 2 along with Mario Kart World. Exactly an hour and 40 minutes from the advertised launch time, I bagged the win. Regrettably, others who followed the same strategy did not share in my luck.

In case you missed out on the pre-order rush last night, additional Switch 2 pre-orders will become available at GameStop from 8 AM Pacific Time (or when your local store starts business). If you’re interested, you can also register on Nintendo’s official website for a chance to pre-order the console directly. Invitations for pre-ordering start on May 8. For those who managed to secure a pre-order, additional accessories can still be pre-ordered easily.

On June 5, the new Nintendo Switch model will be released into the market. Some initial games for this latest console from Nintendo include an updated version of Mario Kart World, improved editions of The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Tears Of The Kingdom, Street Fighter 6, and Cyberpunk 2077.

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2025-04-24 17:39