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

For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant day. This is when Nintendo plans to announce the fortunate 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.

The pre-order lottery application period for the Switch 2 began on April 2, with winners securing the opportunity to purchase the console at its launch on June 5. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that approximately 2.2 million people in Japan participated in the first Switch 2 presale lottery, a number that far surpassed the company's expectations, leaving many hopefuls disappointed.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be announced on April 24, eager fans flocked to the My Nintendo Store, leading Nintendo to take the site offline for maintenance. Concurrently, scammers capitalized on the excitement by sending out fraudulent lottery results.

Japanese users on X (formerly Twitter) have been proactive in warning their fellow fans, sharing screenshots of these deceptive emails and highlighting various scam variations. These emails typically feature a subject line claiming "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," which could easily deceive unsuspecting fans. The phishing emails often contain links to LINE messenger or suspicious URLs that prompt immediate payment, ranging from obvious fakes filled with emojis to more sophisticated ones with minor errors like misspellings of "Nintendo" in email addresses and non-Japanese URLs.

The official warning from the Japanese Nintendo Support account emphasized that, as of April 24, no lottery result emails had been sent out by Nintendo. They advised fans to disregard any such emails received prior to their official notification.

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In the United States, Nintendo updated its website with information about the Switch 2 release-day delivery. The company cautioned those who registered their interest 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 console's launch. Nintendo assured customers that shipping dates would be confirmed upon purchase. They also suggested that pre-ordering through third-party retailers might offer a better chance of securing a Switch 2 at launch, despite these options quickly selling out following pre-orders going live overnight.

The challenges faced by fans trying to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, combined with Nintendo's warnings, indicate that obtaining the next-gen console will be challenging, especially around its launch date.

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 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-serve basis to "eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria." Those invited 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.