My Nintendo Store Chaos: Switch 2 Pre-Order Lottery Overwhelms Site, Scammers Emerge

For Nintendo fans in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date as the company planned to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. However, due to an overwhelming surge in traffic, the My Nintendo Store had to be temporarily taken offline for maintenance. Additionally, Nintendo issued a critical warning regarding phishing emails that falsely claim to be official notifications of Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.

The Switch 2 pre-order lottery application process began on April 2, giving hopeful fans in Japan a chance to secure the console for its launch on June 5. According to a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, approximately 2.2 million individuals entered the first round of the lottery, far surpassing Nintendo's expectations and leaving many without the chance to purchase the console on launch day.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be revealed on April 24, eager fans flocked to the My Nintendo Store, causing the site to go offline for maintenance. This situation was exploited by scammers who began circulating fake lottery result emails.

On social media platforms like X, Japanese users have been proactive in alerting others about these scams, sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails and highlighting various scam variations. These deceptive emails typically feature a subject line declaring "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," which could easily mislead excited fans. The emails often require users to click on a LINE messenger app link or make an immediate payment through a dubious URL, pressuring recipients to act quickly to secure their console.

In response, the official warning from the Japanese Nintendo Support account clarified that, as of April 24, no official lottery result emails had been sent out yet, and any emails received before that date were not from Nintendo.

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In the U.S., Nintendo has updated its 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. This means that invitation emails might arrive after the console's launch, but Nintendo will confirm shipping dates upon purchase. The company has also suggested that fans might have a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers, although pre-orders have already sold out overnight.

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

According to a FAQ 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 purchasing option is available to everyone. The initial invitations will be sent on a first-come, first-served basis to those who meet specific 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 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.