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 traffic led to the temporary shutdown of the My Nintendo Store website for maintenance. Additionally, Nintendo issued a crucial warning regarding phishing emails that falsely claim to be official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.

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

In a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa on the previous day, it was revealed that approximately 2.2 million people in Japan participated in the first Switch 2 presale lottery. This massive demand far surpassed Nintendo's expectations, leaving many hopeful fans disappointed.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were announced today, the rush to access Japan’s My Nintendo Store overwhelmed the site, prompting Nintendo to take it offline for maintenance. This frenzy also created an opportunity for scammers, who sent out fake lottery result emails.

Japanese-speaking users on social media platform X shared screenshots of these fraudulent emails, highlighting various scams. The subject lines of these emails, such as “You have won the Switch 2 lottery,” were likely to excite many Nintendo fans at first glance. These phishing emails often required users to click on a LINE messenger app link or make an immediate payment through a suspicious URL, urging them to act quickly to secure their new console. The scams ranged from obvious fakes filled with emojis to more sophisticated attempts with minor errors like misspellings in the 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 who registered their interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date could not be guaranteed. This means that invitation emails might arrive after the Switch 2's release. However, Nintendo assured that it would confirm the shipping date upon purchase. Nintendo also suggested that fans might have a better chance of obtaining a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers, though the console has already sold out following the opening of pre-orders overnight.

The difficulties fans faced in pre-ordering the Switch 2 on April 24, along with Nintendo's warning, indicate that securing the next-gen console will be challenging, at least around its launch.

According to a FAQ posted on Nintendo’s website, the first batch of invitations for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will be sent out starting May 8, 2025. Additional batches will follow “periodically” until the purchase 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.” 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.