Walmart cancels Legend of Zelda Switch 2 pre-orders day before launch

Walmart cancelled Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 pre-orders on October 28, 2026, one day before the October 29 street date, after customers reported receiving cancellation emails. GameRant reported the same cancellations just as the devices were set to begin shipping. GoNintendo said pre-orders had been very hard to get, with affected customers contacting Walmart customer service and facing higher second-hand prices or a wait to find stock elsewhere.

On September 8, 2026, Nintendo showed the Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 and matching Pro Controller in a Zelda-focused Direct and said the system would arrive on October 29, 2026. IGN said the broadcast provided the first official look after leaked product photos were confirmed as legitimate. PCMag called it Nintendo’s limited-edition makeover for the Zelda 40th anniversary, noting that preorders opened and sold out quickly. The Direct also covered the forthcoming live-action Legend of Zelda film.

The console lists at $519.99 and the matching Pro Controller costs $99.99, both featuring black/teal bases with golden Triforce designs. The base Switch 2 costs $499.99 following a $50 increase effective September 1, 2026, from the $449.99 launch price, PCMag said, a change attributed to rising memory costs that makes the special edition roughly $20 more.

The anniversary console runs on the same second-generation Switch 2 hardware, offering a 7.9-inch display and up to 4K at 60 frames per second when docked, while customers must buy a Zelda game separately. The dock shows a golden Triforce design on one side, while the main unit includes black/teal Joy-Con controllers with Triforce patterns. The matching Pro Controller uses a black/teal base with a central gold Triforce and gold buttons and triggers on the shoulders, and both items carry the 40th Anniversary logo with a small NES-era Link graphic.

Retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Nintendo, and Walmart sold out of the special-edition console, which listed at $519.99 and $519 at Walmart. Every preorder window for the limited-edition console sold out within seconds, and PCMag said out-of-stock messages appear everywhere as the outlet refreshes retailer pages to track future availability and update deals.

PCMag said shoppers in the United States can watch for restocks at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Nintendo, and Walmart, with prices listed near $519.99 and $519 at Walmart. The outlet’s tracking includes wishlist options at Amazon, advance account creation at Best Buy, periodic checks at GameStop, and stock notifications at Walmart.

Second-hand markets list the Zelda Switch 2 for upwards of $700, while eBay and other resale markets show it selling between $600 and $800, evidence of high resale demand. GoNintendo said the cancellations pushed buyers toward higher second-hand prices or a longer wait for stock, and Polygon linked the rapid sellouts to underestimated demand and resale prices of $600 to $800. Polygon also quoted Nintendo asking fans to be patient as Nintendo works on replenishments.

The company said it underestimated demand for Zelda 40th-anniversary merchandise, and Nintendo is working on replenishments for the special-edition Switch 2, Pro Controller, carrying case, and screen protector without set dates or quantities. Bill van Zyll, Nintendo’s vice president and general manager for Latin America, said in a YouTube interview with Coelho no Japão that the company underestimated how well customers would receive the merchandise. Polygon published the interview following its description of Nintendo’s anniversary promotion, which covers action figures, the special-edition console, and the Ocarina of Time remake. “We underestimated how well it would be received.”

Shoppers continue to find empty shelves for 40th-anniversary Zelda merchandise even with Nintendo’s promotion underway. The Switch 2-exclusive Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is set to launch on November 5, 2026, and can be preordered for $59.99 on the Nintendo eShop. Polygon noted the anniversary push includes action figures, the limited-edition Switch 2, and the November 2026 remake, yet availability remains scarce.