For Nintendo fans in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date as Nintendo announces the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. The excitement led to such overwhelming traffic that Nintendo had to take the website down for maintenance. Alongside this, Nintendo issued a warning about phishing emails that falsely claim to reveal official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.
On April 2, Nintendo began accepting applications for the Switch 2 pre-order lottery in Japan. The lucky winners would secure the chance to buy a Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store, with delivery scheduled for the launch date of June 5.
According to a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa released the previous day, an astonishing 2.2 million individuals in Japan entered the first Switch 2 presale lottery. This surge in demand greatly surpassed Nintendo's expectations, leaving many hopeful fans disappointed on launch day.
As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be announced today, eager fans flocked to Japan's My Nintendo Store, resulting in Nintendo taking the site offline for maintenance. This frenzy also provided an opportunity for scammers to circulate fake lottery results.
Users on X (formerly Twitter) who speak Japanese have been sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails and highlighting different versions of the scam. These emails, with subject lines proclaiming "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," could easily mislead excited fans.
The scam emails often include requests to click on a LINE messenger app link or to make immediate payments through dubious URLs, pushing recipients to act quickly to secure their new console. The phishing attempts vary from blatant fakes filled with emojis to more polished scams that might only contain minor errors, such as misspellings of "Nintendo" in email addresses or non-Japanese URLs.
The official warning from the Japanese Nintendo Support account clarified: "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 to inform those who registered interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date cannot be guaranteed. This means invitation emails might arrive after the Switch 2's release. However, Nintendo assured that the shipping date will be confirmed upon purchase. They also suggested that fans might have a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers, despite the consoles selling out immediately after pre-orders began overnight.
The challenges faced by fans attempting to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, combined with Nintendo's warning, indicate that acquiring the next-gen console will be difficult at and around its launch.
According to a FAQ posted on Nintendo's website, the first batch of invitations for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will be sent out starting May 8, 2025. Subsequent batches will follow "periodically" until purchasing is available to everyone.
The initial invitation emails will be sent on a first-come, first-served basis to "eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria." Those invited will have 72 hours from the email's dispatch to complete their purchase.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order invitation priority requirements:
- You must have purchased any Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- You must have maintained any paid Nintendo Switch Online membership for a minimum of 12 months.
- You must have opted in to share gameplay data and have accumulated at least 50 hours of total gameplay.
