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 official My Nintendo Store. However, the overwhelming demand led to the My Nintendo Store website being taken down for maintenance due to excessive traffic. Additionally, Nintendo issued a crucial warning about phishing emails that fraudulently claim to be official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.

Nintendo opened the Switch 2 pre-order lottery applications on April 2, targeting a delivery date at the console's launch on June 5. In a statement from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, it was revealed that approximately 2.2 million people in Japan participated in the first lottery round. This staggering number surpassed Nintendo's expectations, indicating that many fans would be disappointed in their quest to secure the console on launch day.

As the results of the initial Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be released, the rush to access Japan's My Nintendo Store was so intense that Nintendo had to take the site offline for maintenance. This frenzy was exploited by scammers who sent out fake lottery results.

Japanese-speaking users on X (formerly Twitter) have been proactive, sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails and highlighting various versions of these scams. The subject lines of these emails, such as "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," were designed to excite recipients. These phishing emails often contained links to LINE messenger or suspicious URLs requiring immediate payment, ranging from overtly fake messages filled with emojis to more subtle scams with minor errors like 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 to inform those interested in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date could not be guaranteed. Consequently, invitation emails might arrive after the Switch 2's launch. However, Nintendo assured customers that the shipping date would be confirmed upon purchase. With the Switch 2 already sold out after pre-orders opened overnight, Nintendo suggested that fans might have a better chance of securing a console at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers.

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

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

The 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 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 have accumulated at least 50 hours of total gameplay.