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 day, as Nintendo is set to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery via the My Nintendo Store. However, due to an overwhelming amount of traffic, Nintendo had to temporarily shut down the My Nintendo Store website for maintenance. In addition, the company issued a crucial warning about phishing emails that falsely claim to be official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.

On April 2, Nintendo began accepting applications for a Switch 2 pre-order lottery in Japan. Those selected in the lottery would have the opportunity to purchase a Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store, with delivery scheduled for the console's launch on June 5.

According to a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa released the previous day, approximately 2.2 million individuals in Japan participated in the first Switch 2 presale lottery. This level of demand significantly surpassed Nintendo's expectations, leaving many hopeful fans disappointed.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were released today, a surge in traffic led Nintendo to take the site offline for necessary maintenance. Unfortunately, this situation was exploited by scammers who began circulating fake lottery results.

Japanese-speaking users on social media, particularly on X, have been sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails to alert others about these scams. These deceptive emails often feature subject lines like "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," which could easily mislead eager fans.

The fraudulent emails typically require recipients to either click on a LINE messenger app link or make a payment through a suspicious URL, urging immediate action to secure the new console. These phishing attempts vary from obvious fakes filled with emojis to more refined scams that contain minor errors, such as misspellings of "Nintendo" in email addresses and the use of 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 United States, Nintendo updated its website to inform those who registered their interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that delivery on the release date of June 5 cannot be guaranteed. As a result, invitation emails might be sent out after the Switch 2's launch. However, Nintendo assures that the shipping date will be confirmed upon purchase. Nintendo now suggests that fans might have a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers, a concerning recommendation given that Switch 2 pre-orders sold out rapidly overnight.

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

According to a FAQ posted on Nintendo’s website, the initial batch of invitations for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will be sent starting May 8, 2025. Subsequent batches of invitation emails will be dispatched "periodically" until purchasing is opened to everyone.

The initial invitation emails will be sent on a first-come, first-served 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.