Summary
Video game retailer GameStop has said that it is canceling bot and duplicate orders of theNintendo Switch 2.Nintendo Switch 2pre-orders went live in the US on April 24 and caused a great deal of chaos online. As expected, millions of people rushed to their online retailer of choice in an attempt to secure a Switch 2 pre-order of their own, with varying degrees of success.
Switch 2 pre-orders caused major headachesfor Nintendo fans looking to claim the console for themselves. Websites for major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy ran into serious technical problems, overwhelmed by the sheer number of people trying to pre-order a Switch 2. Some lucky customers did manage to get their Switch 2 pre-orders online, though others gave up and decided to hedge their bets at GameStop.
Walmart, Target, and Best Buy Switch 2 pre-orders went live at 12am ET on April 24, but GameStop waited until 11am ET. GameStop’s site ran into similar problems as the other retailers. That is to say, it crashed, and Switch 2 pre-orders seemingly sold out instantly. Those that wentin-person to their local GameStop storeslikely had better luck, though they needed to get in line early if they wanted to guarantee themselves a console. At this point, all Switch 2 pre-orders from every retailer are effectively sold out, but there is still some hope. GameStop has announced plans to “squash” bot and duplicate orders.
GameStop Canceling Bot and Duplicate Switch 2 Pre-Orders
As bot and duplicate orders are canceled, GameStop will reopen inventory. Effectively, this means that there is achancethat some Nintendo fans will have another chance topre-order a Switch 2 from GameStopbetween now and the console’s release date on June 5. GameStop also encouraged customers to check with their local store to see if any Switch 2 pre-orders are available.
Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch 2 has struggled to keep up with demand.Nintendo has already apologized to fansfor not being able to issue enough Switch 2 purchase invitations to fans that signed up to buy a console directly from the company. Needless to say, Switch 2 consoles are going to be pretty hard to find come launch and likely through the holiday season, if previous console launches are any indication.
This will no doubt be frustrating for fans who fail to get a pre-order or who can’t find a Switch 2 to buy on launch day. TheSwitch 2 is launching with five exclusive games, includingMario Kart World, and heavy hitters likeDonkey Kong BananzaandKirby Air Ridersare coming later in the year. Switch 2 will also be able to play Switch 1 games with improved performance, as is the case with upcoming games likeMetroid Prime 4: BeyondandPokemon Legends: Z-A. Hopefully, Nintendo is able to produce enough Switch 2 consoles to meet the demand, and those that missed out on pre-ordering don’t have to wait too long to get their hands on the system.
