Zelda Switch 2 Pre-Order Cancelled or Delayed? Here's What to Do Now

Imagine beating the bots back in September, waiting almost two months for that black-and-gold Triforce console, and then getting an "out of stock" email the day before launch. Honestly, this one made me wince. It's what happened to some Walmart customers ahead of the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2's October 29 release, and TheGamer says some of them were offered $10 in store credit for the trouble. Ten dollars. I'd almost rather they hadn't bothered.

If you're staring at your inbox right now, here's what we actually know and what I'd do in your shoes.

What's going on

At Walmart, buyers report cancellation emails that simply say the item is out of stock. Kotaku says customer service reps told some buyers that Walmart had oversold its pre-orders, though Walmart hasn't confirmed that. An internal memo posted on Reddit and reported by Kotaku blames a "supply chain delay" for some stores. It also says consoles that have reached stores are blocked at the register until at least November 6, so that pre-orders get filled first. That would explain the Reddit shopper who turned up at 6 a.m. and watched three in-stock consoles refuse to scan.

At Target, the main complaint is delay. Stevivor and Nintendo Life report that customers are being told to expect their orders around the middle of November. GoNintendo, citing Polygon, also passes on customer reports of orders that haven't shipped or were cancelled, so check yours even if you haven't had an email.

As far as I can find, neither Walmart nor Target has publicly explained the cancellations. Nintendo has at least spoken about supply: Bill van Zyll, its vice president and general manager for Latin America, told a Brazilian YouTube channel that the shortage is global and restocks are coming, Dexerto reports. No dates, no quantities. So it's a promise rather than a plan, but if you're weighing up waiting against paying a reseller, it's a good reason not to rush.

Nobody knows how many people are affected. Every cancellation report I've read is about these two American chains. I haven't seen the same reports from European shops, though that's no guarantee, so check your own order wherever you bought it.

If your order was cancelled

Don't treat the email as the final word. One Kotaku reader was told their order died because of a vague "store issue", and then Walmart's delivery team called to say a console had been secured for pick-up. That's one story, not a promise, but a phone call costs you nothing.

Ask your local store too. Notebookcheck points out that online and in-store stock are separate, and photos of the console on shelves are doing the rounds. With that register block in place, ask when they'll actually be able to sell it, and keep November 6 in mind.

While you're at it, check your bank statement to make sure nothing is still charged for an order that no longer exists. And keep an eye on listings, because TheGamer notes that cancelled pre-orders often get relisted around release.

What I wouldn't do is panic-buy. Nintendo's US price is $519.99. Kotaku spotted the console listed on Walmart's site for $700 and noted that it may be a third-party seller using Walmart as a platform, and September's eBay prices went far higher. So always check who the seller really is.

If it's only delayed

Hang on to your confirmation email and check the order status now and then, since cancellation notices seemed to still be going out on launch day. Annoying, but a delay is a much better place to be than a cancellation.

Do you even need this console for Ocarina?

Here's the gentle question I'd ask anyone buying this for the Ocarina of Time remake on November 5. The US Zelda console doesn't come with the game, and Notebookcheck says the remake will run just as well on a standard Switch 2.

So if it's the game you're after, and you're in the US and quick about it, IGN flagged a deal today that's worth a look: the Switch 2 "Choose Your Game" bundle at Woot with the code SAVETOBER. It's $479 for returning Woot customers and $459 if it's your first Woot purchase. Woot's terms say the code runs until November 1 at 11:58 p.m. Central Time and only works for mailing addresses in the contiguous US, so no Alaska or Hawaii. It's a new console with a 90-day Woot warranty and your pick of Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza or Pokémon Pokopia. No gold Triforce, but my nephew has never once asked what colour the dock is.

Outside the US, or reading this after Sunday? That deal won't help you, but the point still stands: any standard Switch 2 plays the remake.

The thing is, Walmart cancelled Switch 2 pre-orders in 2025 too, so this doesn't feel like bad luck anymore. And if you wanted that Triforce because Zelda is your childhood, like it's mine, I completely get it. You deserved better than a form email.

Image: Crisco 1492 / CC BY-SA 4.0, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nintendo_Switch_2_in_Docking_Console.jpg