For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date as the company plans to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery via the My Nintendo Store. However, due to overwhelming traffic, Nintendo had to temporarily shut down the website for maintenance. Amidst this excitement, Nintendo also issued a warning about phishing emails that are fraudulently claiming to be official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.
The pre-order lottery for the Switch 2 in Japan began on April 2, with winners being eligible to purchase the console, set to be delivered on its launch date, June 5. According to Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa’s message on the previous day, approximately 2.2 million people in Japan applied for the first Switch 2 presale lottery, significantly surpassing Nintendo's expectations. This high demand means that many hopeful fans will not be able to secure a console at launch.
As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were announced today, a surge in traffic led Nintendo to take the site offline for maintenance. This situation was exploited by scammers who sent out fake lottery results. Japanese-speaking users on social media platforms like X have been proactive in sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails to warn others. These scam emails, often with subject lines like “You have won the Switch 2 lottery,” can appear deceptively legitimate at first glance, prompting many fans to mistakenly celebrate.
The deceptive emails typically urge recipients to click on a LINE messenger app link or to pay immediately through a dubious URL, pressuring users to act quickly to secure their new console. These phishing attempts vary from obvious fakes filled with emojis to more sophisticated scams that contain minor errors, such as misspellings of "Nintendo" in email addresses and non-Japanese URLs.
In response, 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's website updated its information on release-day delivery, warning those who registered interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that they might not receive their console by the June 5 launch date. Consequently, invitation emails may arrive after the Switch 2's release. However, Nintendo assures customers that they will confirm the shipping date upon purchase. Given the console's immediate sell-out following the opening of pre-orders overnight, Nintendo suggested that fans might have a better chance of obtaining a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers.
The challenges faced by fans trying to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, coupled with Nintendo's warnings, indicate that securing the next-gen console around its launch date will be challenging.
According to a FAQ posted to 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 sent out "periodically" until purchasing is opened to everyone. These initial invitations will be sent on a first-come, first-served 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 of total gameplay time.
