Walmart has reportedly canceled multiple pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition just one day before the console’s October 29, 2026 launch. Customers who expected their consoles to arrive on release day have received cancellation notices citing insufficient stock, despite placing orders weeks in advance.
Several affected buyers shared their experiences on Reddit on October 28. One customer said they had pre-ordered the $519 console through Walmart’s app on September 29, only to discover that their order had been canceled the morning before its scheduled delivery. Other customers reported similar cancellations, including some who had reserved their consoles when pre-orders first opened in September.
The cancellation notices reportedly identify the item as out of stock and indicate that affected customers will not be charged. However, buyers who had relied on their reservations are now left searching for alternative retailers immediately before launch.
The exact reason for the cancellations remains unconfirmed. Some customers who contacted Walmart support say representatives told them the retailer had oversold its pre-order allocation. Walmart has not publicly confirmed that explanation or disclosed how many orders were affected.
The cancellations come amid broader availability problems for Nintendo’s anniversary hardware. Earlier this month, Nintendo acknowledged that it had underestimated demand for the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 and confirmed that additional stock would become available.
Nintendo’s Latin America Vice President and General Manager, Bill van Zyll, discussed the unexpectedly strong demand in an interview published before launch. Although Nintendo has indicated that further restocks are planned, it has not provided a comprehensive schedule or confirmed quantities for individual retailers.
Additional inventory has already appeared intermittently at some retailers. Nintendo’s official US store offered brief pre-order opportunities on October 27 and 28, while Best Buy has also received additional allocations. These restocks suggest affected Walmart customers may have other purchasing opportunities, although availability remains inconsistent.
Walmart’s online listings have also displayed prices substantially above the console’s original $519.99 suggested retail price. Some higher-priced listings may originate from third-party marketplace sellers rather than Walmart itself.
For customers affected by the cancellations, the immediate options include checking other retailers for available inventory or monitoring future restocks. There is currently no confirmed indication that Walmart will automatically reinstate canceled orders.
The anniversary-themed Switch 2 launches October 29, ahead of the November 5 release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. Walmart has not announced when additional stock of the special-edition console will become available.
