Nintendo Switch 2 Initial Day Presales Blundered by GameStop
Guess who's got issues? Us, and a bunch of other gamers, apparently. The release of Nintendo Switch 2 was as much a nightmare as it was an anticipated event.
After a sleepless night (probably for many), the hunt for the Switch 2 began at retail stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. GameStop was the last glimmer of hope to secure a pre-order for launch day. Or so we thought.
The retailer's site and app tanked just as the preorders were supposed to go live at 11 a.m. ET on April 24. The deluge of requests from users, including our Gizmodo crew, overloaded the system, resulting in a Cloudflare error 502 for bad gateway, and a grayed-out "Not Available" box on the Switch 2 listing.
However, I managed to score one, sort of. I saw a red "Not Available" box at one point. Clicking on it, I was led to a page where I could purchase the console, received an order number, but still haven't received a confirmation email. Credit card untouched as well. Other buyers reported similar hassles. GameStop later informed customers that those without a confirmation email should receive one shortly.
Despite the debacle, there's still a glimmer of hope for securing a Switch 2 on launch day, mainly at brick-and-mortar stores. Good luck, though, because lines at GameStop locations across the U.S. are longer than a queue at the DMV. Some stores have upwards of 50 units, but that's not guaranteed.
The Switch 2 is set to revolutionize gaming, but high demand and limited supply are making things tough for potential buyers. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa had to issue an apology after preorders exceeded the number of available launch units through Nintendo's My Nintendo Store in Japan. Nintendo has promised to send out emails to users ordering directly through the company on May 8, but delivery by June 5 is not guaranteed.
While we wait for the situation to improve, maybe it's time to hit the pause button and wait for the console to become available after launch day. At least it'll give us time to read reviews (did someone say Gizmodo?) and decide if we really need a new gaming device in our lives.
This story is still developing. We'll keep you updated as we learn more.
[1] Walmart Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Sell Out Quickly[2] Target Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Sold Out[3] Best Buy Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Sold Out[4] Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Sell Out Everywhere in U.S.[5] Nintendo Warns of Global Shortage for Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders
- The tech world is abuzz with the debacle of Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders, a predicament shared by numerous consumers, including those at Gizmodo.
- Despite the tech nightmares at online retailers like GameStop, there's a ref_src of hope for gamers seeking to secure a Switch 2 on launch day at brick-and-mortar stores.
- The tech fiasco with Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders has left many buyers scrambling, awaiting confirmation emails even after receiving order numbers and seeing their credit cards untouched.
- Unfulfilled orders, long lines at Gamestop stores, and a limited supply of the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 have led some to ponder whether it may be wise to wait for reviews, such as those on Gadgets like Gizmodo, before diving into the new gaming device market.
- Despite the fallout of the pre-order process for Nintendo Switch 2, there's no denying that technology like this has the potential to revolutionize the future of gaming.
