Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders cause havoc after going live in the US, just like they did in Japan
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After initially delaying Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in the US over tariff concerns, Switch 2 preorders finally went live in the US at 12 AM ET (midnight) on Thursday. And with everyone rushing to get their pre-orders in, many websites are getting hit with huge amounts of traffic all at once.
Some retailers handled the situation better than others, while some crashed due to the number of people preordering. And regardless of whether you buy through Best Buy, Walmart, Target, or GameStop, demand for the much-awaited sequel has clearly been way more than expected.
The Switch 2 sold out in seconds
As pre-orders went live, Target was among the first to open, but it didn't take long for the website to crash, leaving many unable to place their pre-orders. Some had better luck using the Target app, but even then, a number of orders were later reported as canceled. Since ratings and reviews for the product are open on Target, about 75% of them right now are complaints from disgruntled customers.
Meanwhile, Best Buy and Walmart seemed more prepared for the demand, placing potential buyers into a virtual queue. That approach appears to have paid off, with many users reporting successful pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 or the Mario Kart World console bundle once their turn came up.
Over on the official Nintendo subreddit, a “Did you get a Switch 2?” megathread has popped up where users are sharing mixed experiences. Some managed to secure a preorder just minutes before stock ran out, while others who thought they got through were later told the console was sold out.
Even now, the situation hasn’t improved much. For those still trying, the best advice is to keep checking and refreshing from time to time, as a few users have reported that the console briefly popped up as available for preorder at random times.
One major retailer is missing from the Switch 2 pre-orders list
Interestingly, the pre-order situation in the US follows what we recently saw in the Japanese market. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa issued a supply warning on the official Nintendo X account, stating that a “significant number” of people would miss out on securing a pre-order due to overwhelming demand. Judging by the 2.2 million pre-orders in Japan alone, it's safe to say that even calling the Nintendo Switch 2 hype “high” would be an understatement.
We're still waiting to see how launch day unfolds on June 5, when we can expect dedicated gamers to line up hours before stores open, especially those who missed out on pre-orders. That said, Amazon is notably absent from the list of Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order retailers, and we can't help but wonder why.
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