For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant date. This is when Nintendo will announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. However, due to overwhelming traffic, the My Nintendo Store website had to be taken down for maintenance. In addition, Nintendo issued a critical warning about 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 who won the lottery would have the opportunity to purchase the Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store, with delivery scheduled for the console's launch date on June 5.

In a recent message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, it was revealed that approximately 2.2 million people in Japan entered the first Switch 2 presale lottery. This level of demand far surpassed Nintendo's expectations, meaning many hopeful fans will not secure the console on its launch day.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be released on April 24, the rush to access Japan's My Nintendo Store overwhelmed the site, leading to Nintendo taking it offline for maintenance. This situation was exploited by scammers who sent out fake lottery result emails.

Users on X, who speak Japanese, took to the platform to warn others, sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails and highlighting different versions of the scam. At first glance, subject lines like “You have won the Switch 2 lottery” would undoubtedly excite many Nintendo fans.

The scam emails either asked users to click on a LINE messenger app link or to make a payment via a dubious URL, urging immediate action to secure the new console. The phishing attempts varied from obvious fakes filled with emojis to more sophisticated scams with minor errors, such as misspellings of "Nintendo" in email addresses and non-Japanese URLs.

The official warning from the Japanese Nintendo Support account clarified that, "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 they could not guarantee delivery by the June 5 release date. As a result, invitation emails might arrive after the Switch 2 launch. However, Nintendo confirmed that they will provide a shipping date upon purchase. They also suggested that fans might have a better chance of obtaining a Switch 2 at launch by pre-ordering from third-party retailers—a recommendation made more concerning as the Switch 2 has already sold out following pre-orders going live overnight.

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

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 out starting May 8, 2025. Additional batches will follow "periodically" until purchasing is open to everyone.

Initial invitation emails 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 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 accumulated at least 50 hours of total gameplay.