Walmart cancels Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 pre-orders

Walmart cancels Zelda-themed Switch 2 pre-orders

Walmart reportedly canceled a number of pre-orders for the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Nintendo Switch 2 console shortly before the product’s scheduled release. Affected customers received emails stating that their delivery order was out of stock, according to reporting published on October 29.

The cancellations affected the special Zelda-themed Switch 2 system, not pre-orders for unrelated Switch 2 products. The reported notices did not identify how many orders were canceled or how many customers received them.

Walmart cited insufficient available stock

Customers who contacted Walmart customer service were reportedly told that the retailer had oversold the consoles based on the inventory it received and lacked enough units to fulfill pre-orders. The reviewed reporting did not include a statement from Walmart confirming the reason for the cancellations.

The episode remained under review as of the knowledge cutoff on October 29. A Walmart statement, a count of canceled orders and information about whether affected customers received refunds or other remedies were not established in the available reporting.

Customers faced the cancellation near launch

The reported cancellations arrived one day before the console’s scheduled October 29 release. The Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 was described as difficult to find on resale markets, with prices reported above $700, although those prices were not attributed to Walmart and did not represent a verified transaction price.

The reviewed sources did not confirm whether Walmart would fulfill the canceled orders later, offer replacement units or provide a different purchasing option. They also did not establish the number of affected orders or whether the same inventory problem extended beyond the Zelda edition.

Inventory exposure remains the key open question

Customer-service accounts attributed the shortage to Walmart receiving less stock than expected and accepting more pre-orders than it could fill. That explanation was reported rather than confirmed in a company statement, leaving open the precise allocation of the retailer’s inventory and the scope of the cancellations.

The next verifiable point would be confirmation from Walmart of the cancellation policy, affected order count and remedy for customers. The available reporting did not announce a separate filing, hearing or release date that would resolve those questions.