Switch 2 Chaos in Japan as My Nintendo Store Buckles Under Weight of Users Desperate to Find Out if They've Won Pre-Order Lottery — and Now Scammers Are Taking Advantage

For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date as Nintendo is set to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. However, the overwhelming demand led to the temporary shutdown of the My Nintendo Store website for maintenance. Additionally, Nintendo issued a warning about phishing emails that falsely claim to notify recipients of their lottery win for the Switch 2.

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.

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that approximately 2.2 million people in Japan participated in the first Switch 2 presale lottery, far surpassing the company’s expectations. This high demand suggests that many hopefuls will not secure the console on launch day.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were released today, the rush to access the My Nintendo Store caused the site to go offline for maintenance. Concurrently, scammers capitalized on the excitement, distributing fraudulent lottery result emails.

Japanese users on X have been vigilant, sharing screenshots of these deceptive emails and highlighting various scam versions. The subject lines of these emails, such as "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," could easily mislead eager fans. These phishing emails often contain links to LINE messenger or suspicious URLs requesting immediate payment to secure the console. The sophistication of these scams varies, ranging from obvious fakes to more subtle ones with minor errors like misspellings in email addresses and non-Japanese URLs.

Nintendo's official Japanese support account issued a warning stating, "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."

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

View 91 ImagesIn the U.S., Nintendo updated its website to inform those interested in purchasing a Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date cannot be guaranteed. Consequently, invitation emails might arrive after the console's launch. However, Nintendo assured that shipping dates would be confirmed upon purchase. The company also suggested that pre-ordering from third-party retailers might offer a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch, although pre-orders at these retailers have already sold out.

The challenges faced by fans trying to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, combined with Nintendo's warnings, indicate that obtaining the next-gen console will be difficult around its launch.

According to an FAQ on Nintendo’s website, the first batch of invitations for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will begin on May 8, 2025, with subsequent batches sent periodically until purchasing is open to all. These initial invitations will be sent on a first-come, first-serve basis to eligible registrants meeting specific priority criteria. Invitees 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 at least 12 months.
• You must have opted in to share gameplay data and accumulated at least 50 hours of total gameplay.