Walmart officially confirmed that it is canceling all the SNES Classic Edition preorders that it received, shattering the hearts of excited Nintendo fans who thought that they were already in line to purchase the upcoming retro console.
A previous report claimed that a technical glitch caused the SNES Classic Edition preorders to go live earlier than they were supposed last week, on the evening of July 21. Several customers have since received cancellation notices, but with no official statement from Walmart, customers were hoping that the retailer would honor the preorders.
Walmart Cancels SNES Classic Edition Preorders
Walmart has now snuffed out any hope that the SNES Classic Edition preorders will remain valid. In an email sent to all customers who preordered the retro console, Walmart revealed that it will have to cancel all preorders placed on July 21. The SNES Classic Edition was accidentally made available that night at 11:30 p.m. ET for a window of about 30 minutes, with a promised arrival date of Oct. 6.
Some customers started to receive cancellation emails the following day, but others did not, leading to confusion on whether all the SNES Classic Edition preorders were being canceled or Walmart was canceling preorders at random. The uncertainty is now gone after an official statement from Walmart.
"Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch, the Super Nintendo Classic Edition was mistakenly made available last Friday evening ahead of the official release date," said Walmart customer care senior director Deserie Dulaney in an email.
Dulaney added that customers who were charged for their SNES Classic Edition preorder, such as those who paid through PayPal or a gift card, will receive refunds. Those who used credit cards for the preorder will not be charged, as preorders paid through credit cards only get charged when the item is available.
What Now For The SNES Classic Edition?
It is unclear how many SNES Classic Edition preorders were sent in and canceled due to the technical glitch, but to make things worse, Walmart is offering nothing to heartbroken gamers who saw their preorders vanish before their eyes.
Customers who were able to preorder the SNES Classic Edition were likely at high spirits after being able to do so, considering the famous Nintendo supply issues. It appears that there is nothing else left to do but to wait once again for SNES Classic Edition preorders to start, whether at Walmart or at other retailers.
