On the eve of the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: When, exactly, will the shiny new console they preordered arrive?
It’s a question that is surprisingly difficult to answer. While one might assume Switch 2 preorders to arrive on launch day, June 5, one look at social media shows that is far from the case. There is frustration from those with Switch 2 preorders who have had their preorders canceled last minute. Others are dealing with vague arrival times that makes it unclear if it will arrive on launch day or some time later. Some have preorders that are set to arrive almost a week later, adding to the confusion.
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Now Playing: Nintendo Switch 2 – Official System Overview Trailer
Among those of us here at GameSpot, there are at least two people who preordered at Target who apparently won’t get their Switch 2 orders until June 11. Another who ordered from Walmart is set to have theirs delivered by launch day, but the exact timing is unclear, with Walmart stating it will arrive before 10 PM despite previous guarantees of delivery by 9 AM.
People who preordered from Walmart seem to have it especially bad, with reports on social media of canceled preorders at the last minute related to payment issues, despite many users claiming to have double checked their payment info and confirmed with customer service representatives that their order was secure.
walmart you have failed me for canceling my switch 2 preorder when my payment method is valid and has funds available, give it back pic.twitter.com/cmUFUL56TA
— Bumbles (@Bumbles1593) May 31, 2025
Even those who preordered directly from Nintendo aren’t safe, as Nintendo makes clear on its website that those who signed up to preorder directly from the My Nintendo Store might not receive the chance to purchase a Switch 2 ahead of launch day. Those who did secure preorders may receive their Switch 2 on June 5, but Nintendo makes clear there’s no guarantee.
It’s a familiar feeling to that of April 24, when Switch 2 preorders first went live and would-be Switch 2 owners had to endure disappearing orders, overloaded websites, and virtual queues that went nowhere. The entire Switch 2 preorder process was a chaotic mess, with potential buyers waiting for close to two hours, all the while unclear if waiting in a digital line was doing them any good or if their preorders would suddenly vanish into thin air.
Despite all the technical difficulties and confusion, it’s clear demand for Nintendo’s new console is extremely high. It is, after all, not every day a new Nintendo console arrives, and Switch 2-exclusive games like Mario Kart World will be the kind of game players keep coming back to for years to come. Some retailers will have limited Switch 2 stock to sell on launch day, and people are already lining up outside stores for a chance to secure one.
Once the Switch 2 is more widely available this will all be a distant memory (or nightmare), but for now, it’s mostly just disappointing how frustrating and confusing the entire process has been. For those waiting to see if their preorder arrives on time (or at all), good luck. We’re all going to need it.