America’s biggest retail stores struggled to keep up with demand as shoppers flocked online last night for the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-sale after its original date was delayed due to Trump’s tariffs.
Gamers reported issues with Target, Walmart and Best Buy as they rushed to purchase the Japanese console when it was released at midnight.
Downdetector, which monitors online outages, reported more than 2,520 complaints from Target customers when the sale launched.
Best Buy saw a continuous rise across the evening of shoppers reporting problems between 9pm and 1am, with some saying the item was not available to be pre-ordered.
Walmart shoppers first reported trouble not long after 8pm with just under 1,500 reports, according to the online tracker, but had minimal incidents reported after 10pm.
The Switch 2 was one of the most hotly-anticipated consumer product releases of the year.
Nintendo revealed the redesigned console on April 2, the same day that President Donald Trump held a massive press conference on the White House lawn to announce the ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs on the world.
The tariffs came in much higher than economists expected, sending the stock market into a tailspin and forcing Nintendo to delay pre-orders for its new console.
The Nintendo Switch 2 pre-sale sent online shoppers into a frenzy, as major retail sites crashed as the sale launched (stock image)
The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 ignited panic among gamers who rushed online to secure their pre-order – only to find websites had been overwhelmed with demand
When eager shoppers logged on to finally secure their new consoles at midnight, they were met with a tech meltdown, forcing them to vent their disappointment on social media.
‘Which best buy employee forgot to change the button for the pre orders for switch 2?’ one gamer said.
‘Best Buy didn’t open their preorders for the Switch 2 on time… and they instead waited until I was away for my computer to open them, so now I’m stuck in a long line,’ complained another.
‘Best Buy is crashing hard. Hopefully people get their Switch 2s,’ said a shopper.
‘So Best Buy, after telling me not to leave the page, just closed the “you’re in line” box without letting me do anything,’ said another.
Someone else wrote: ‘Best buy is a mess.’
Others shared their excitement upon securing an order.
‘I GOT ONE YESSSS! Nintendo Switch 2 Here we go baby!’ said one person.
‘I managed to get one through Best Buy, hopefully they don’t cancel my order,’ another wrote.
‘Best Buy never failed me,’ rejoiced another.
Best Buy shoppers reported complaints with the website leading up to the pre-sale launch, with the most people experiencing difficulty right at midnight
Target shoppers reported complaints just as the Nintendo device’s pre-sale kicked off on Thursday
America’s biggest retail stores struggled to keep up with demand as shoppers flocked online for the release of the Nintendo Switch 2
However, many were not as lucky, with one man trying all three major retailers and failing to secure the console on each attempt.
‘My Nintendo Switch 2 shopping experience lol. Thanks Target Best Buy and Walmart,’ he said, sharing grabs of each website failing to send his order through.
The new Switch boasts a bigger 7.9-inch screen, higher resolution, a chat feature to talk to friends, and new Joy-Con controllers that attach and detach easily – no more wrestling them out of your console or dealing with faulty release buttons.
It was originally set to launch on April 9, but Nintendo postponed the date after Trump announced plans to impose trade tariffs on foreign countries.
‘Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the US will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions,’ Nintendo told DailyMail.com at the time.
‘Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.’
When the new release date was confirmed, the Japanese gaming company said the $449.99 price tag of the long-awaited gadget would not increase despite taxation pressures.
In order to keep the consoles at the same price, the company will have to eat millions of dollars in previously unknown costs.
Switch consoles are mostly produced in Vietnam and China. Both countries were slapped with tariffs by the Trump administration.
All products manufactured in Vietnam were hit with a 46 percent tariff rate while products from China are subject to a 145% levy.
Nintendo is just one of many tech companies re-evaluating their operation as a result of the global tariff war.
The ‘magnificent seven’ stocks of high-earning tech companies lost $1.03 trillion in just a day after the tariffs were announced.
Apple, which also relies on Asian manufacturing, lost $311 billion from its market cap before recovering after Trump announced iPhones would be exempt.
Major automakers like Volkswagen, are pausing production of some of their cars.
Even though Trump has issued a 90-day tariff pause on many countries after his initial announcement tanked the stock market, he has asserted he will not budge when it comes to tech.
‘NOBODY is getting “off the hook” for the unfair Trade Balances, and Non Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other Countries have used against us, especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst!’ the president posted on Truth Social.
‘These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff “bucket,”’ he continued.
