"Switch 2 Chaos: My Nintendo Store Overwhelmed, Scammers Exploit Pre-Order Lottery Desperation in Japan"

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 official My Nintendo Store. However, the overwhelming demand crashed the My Nintendo Store website, forcing it offline for maintenance. Additionally, Nintendo issued a crucial warning regarding phishing emails that falsely claim to notify users of their lottery win for the Switch 2.

The lottery for pre-ordering the Switch 2 in Japan opened on April 2 and was designed to allow winners to purchase the console ahead of its launch on June 5. According to Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, approximately 2.2 million people entered the lottery, far surpassing the company's expectations and leaving many hopeful fans disappointed.

As the results of the first Switch 2 pre-sale lottery were released today, the surge in traffic to the My Nintendo Store overwhelmed the site, leading Nintendo to take it offline for maintenance. This situation was exploited by scammers who sent out fraudulent emails claiming to announce lottery winners. Japanese-speaking users on social media platforms like X have been sharing screenshots of these deceptive emails, helping others identify the scams which range from obvious fakes filled with emojis to more sophisticated attempts with subtle errors, such as misspellings of Nintendo in email addresses and 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, warning those who registered their interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date is not guaranteed. Invitation emails for pre-orders might arrive after the Switch 2 launch, but Nintendo will confirm shipping dates upon purchase. In light of this, Nintendo suggests that fans might have a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers, despite the console already selling out shortly after pre-orders opened.

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 date.

According to a FAQ posted on Nintendo’s website, the first batch of invitation emails for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will be sent starting May 8, 2025. Subsequent batches will follow "periodically" until the store opens to all. The initial invitations will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to "eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria." Recipients 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.