For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date. This is when Nintendo plans to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. However, due to overwhelming traffic, the My Nintendo Store website had to be taken offline for maintenance. Additionally, Nintendo issued a warning about phishing emails that falsely claim to notify recipients of their Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.
Nintendo began accepting applications for the Switch 2 pre-order lottery in Japan on April 2. Successful entrants would have the opportunity to buy the console from the My Nintendo Store, with delivery set for the launch date on June 5.
In a recent message, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that approximately 2.2 million people in Japan participated in the first Switch 2 presale lottery. This number far exceeded Nintendo's expectations, indicating that many hopeful fans may not secure a console on launch day.
As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were announced today, the rush to access the My Nintendo Store in Japan led to Nintendo taking the site offline for maintenance. This situation was quickly exploited by scammers who sent out fake lottery result emails.
On social media platforms like X, Japanese-speaking users have been sharing screenshots of these fraudulent emails, highlighting various scam variations. The subject lines of these emails, such as "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," are designed to deceive eager fans. The emails often include links to LINE messenger or suspicious URLs that require immediate payment to secure the console. These phishing attempts vary from easily recognizable fakes with emojis to more sophisticated versions with minor errors like misspellings and non-Japanese URLs.
In response, 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 their website to inform those interested in purchasing a Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store that they cannot guarantee delivery by the June 5 release date. As a result, invitation emails may be sent out after the Switch 2 launch. However, Nintendo assures buyers that the shipping date will be confirmed upon purchase. Nintendo also suggested that pre-ordering from third-party retailers might offer a better chance of securing a console at launch, though Switch 2 pre-orders have already sold out overnight.
The challenges faced by fans trying to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, combined with Nintendo's warning, indicate that obtaining the next-gen console will be difficult around its launch.
According to a FAQ on Nintendo's website, the first batch of invitation emails for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will begin on May 8, 2025. Subsequent batches will be sent out "periodically" until the purchasing option is available to everyone.
Initial invitation emails will be sent on a first-come, first-serve basis to "eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria." Those invited will have 72 hours from the time of the email 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.
