For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date as Nintendo plans to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. The overwhelming demand led to the temporary shutdown of the My Nintendo Store website for maintenance due to excessive traffic. Alongside this, Nintendo issued a critical warning about phishing emails that falsely claim to be official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.
On April 2, Nintendo began accepting applications for the Switch 2 pre-order lottery in Japan. Those selected in the lottery would have the opportunity to purchase the console from the My Nintendo Store, with delivery scheduled for the launch date on June 5.
In a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa on the previous day, it was revealed that approximately 2.2 million individuals entered the first Switch 2 presale lottery in Japan. This unexpectedly high demand suggests that many hopefuls will be disappointed in their efforts to secure the console on launch day.
As the results of the initial Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be released today, a surge of users overwhelmed the My Nintendo Store, leading Nintendo to take the site offline for maintenance. This situation was exploited by scammers who sent out fraudulent lottery results.
Japanese-speaking users on X have been proactive in warning others, sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails and detailing various scams. These deceptive emails, with subject lines such as "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," could easily mislead eager fans. The emails often contain links to LINE messenger or suspicious URLs demanding immediate payment to secure the console. The phishing attempts vary from easily recognizable fakes filled with emojis to more sophisticated scams with subtle errors, like misspellings in email addresses and non-Japanese URLs.
The official warning from the Japanese Nintendo Support account clarifies, "Although we plan to send out the lottery result emails today (April 24), we have not sent them yet. Please be aware that any such emails that you have received up until now were not sent by Nintendo."
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In the U.S., Nintendo updated its website with information on release-day delivery, warning those who registered interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date could not be guaranteed. Consequently, invitation emails might arrive after the Switch 2 launch. However, Nintendo assures buyers that they will confirm the shipping date at the time of purchase. Nintendo also suggested that fans might have a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers, a suggestion that raises concerns as pre-orders have already sold out following their recent launch.
The challenges faced by fans trying to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, combined with Nintendo's warning, indicate that the next-generation console will be difficult to obtain around its launch period.
According to a FAQ posted on Nintendo’s website, the first batch of invitations for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will start being sent out on May 8, 2025. Subsequent batches will be dispatched "periodically" until purchasing is open to everyone. The initial invitation emails will be sent on a first-come, first-serve basis to "eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria." Recipients will have 72 hours from the time the email is sent to complete their purchase.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order invitation priority requirements:
- You must have been the one who purchased any Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- You must have had any paid Nintendo Switch Online membership for a minimum of 12 months.
- You must have opted in to share gameplay data and have at least 50 hours total gameplay hours.
