GameStop faced swift backlash after its Nintendo Switch 2 preorder launch descended into chaos, with customers slamming the retailer online for website crashes, error messages, and failed checkouts.
The hype around Nintendo's long-awaited Switch 2 console was met with frenzy as major retailers opened preorders this week. With limited inventory and massive demand, websites for companies like Best Buy and GameStop were expected to be overwhelmed, the Verge reported.
GameStop, which offered both the console-only version and a Mario Kart World bundle, announced that preorders would go live Thursday at 11AM ET. Right at launch, GameStop's website buckled under the pressure. Users reported blank screens, server crashes, and Cloudflare errors with messages like "bad gateway."
ooo! Loving the new Gamestop website design in honor of the Switch 2 Pre-Order! pic.twitter.com/9TOidn5LuG
— Philip DeFranco 👊🏻 (@PhillyD) April 24, 2025
The mobile app fared no better, with vague alerts like "activity paused" blocking access. Some customers briefly saw listings go live, only to be met with grayed-out preorder buttons or phantom stock that disappeared during checkout.
"You people are evil," one X user wrote.
Fully completed checkout just to get sent back to this. You people are evil pic.twitter.com/rHVSRuQyOa
— Views (@Iamanoob4) April 24, 2025
Frustrated users took to social media, mocking the launch with memes and blasting GameStop for "fumbling" the launch by failing to prepare its servers for what they called "a very obvious" surge in traffic.
thanks @gamestop for letting me add the Switch 2 to my cart and then say it’s out of stock because you didn’t prepare your servers for a very obvious amount of people attempting to preorder all at once. why am I a Pro member? pic.twitter.com/bTWa1Eqmzh
— Club (@club054) April 24, 2025
Best Buy and GameStop when it comes to fumbling #Switch 2 pre orders pic.twitter.com/iqSOrWeGI6
— NeoGameSpark (@NeoGameSpark) April 24, 2025
While a handful of users were eventually able to secure preorders after 11:30AM ET, many were left empty-handed, questioning the value of their GameStop Pro memberships.
The company has yet to issue a formal statement addressing the preorder debacle. Meanwhile, customer service lines have reportedly seen increased wait times as users seek clarity on failed transactions.
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