Chaos in Japan as My Nintendo Store Crashes Amid Pre-Order Lottery Frenzy, Scammers Emerge

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

On April 2, Nintendo began accepting applications for the Switch 2 pre-order lottery in Japan, with winners slated to purchase the console from the My Nintendo Store, set to be delivered at the launch on June 5. In a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, it was revealed that approximately 2.2 million individuals in Japan participated in the first Switch 2 presale lottery, far exceeding the company’s expectations and leaving many hopefuls disappointed.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were released on April 24, the rush to access Japan’s My Nintendo Store overwhelmed the site, leading Nintendo to take it offline for maintenance. Meanwhile, scammers capitalized on this excitement by sending out fraudulent lottery results.

Japanese-speaking users on X have been proactive, sharing screenshots of fraudulent emails and highlighting various scams. These deceptive emails, with subject lines like “You have won the Switch 2 lottery,” tricked many into excitement. The emails often prompted users to click on a LINE messenger app link or make payments via dubious URLs, pressuring them to act quickly to secure their console. The scams varied from obvious, emoji-laden fakes to more subtle ones 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, as of April 24, no official lottery result emails had been sent out yet. It advised users to be cautious of any prior emails claiming otherwise.

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In the U.S., Nintendo updated its website, warning those who registered interest in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that delivery by the June 5 release date couldn't be guaranteed. As a result, invitation emails might arrive after the Switch 2 launch, but Nintendo promised to confirm the shipping date upon purchase. The company suggested that pre-ordering from third-party retailers might offer a better chance of securing a console at launch, despite the Switch 2 already selling out after pre-orders went live overnight.

The challenges faced by fans trying to pre-order the Switch 2 on April 24, coupled with Nintendo’s warning, suggest that acquiring the next-gen console will be challenging at least around the launch period.

According to a FAQ on Nintendo’s website, the initial batch of invitations for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. will be sent starting May 8, 2025. Subsequent batches will be sent "periodically" until purchasing is open to everyone. The initial invitations will be sent on a first-come, first-serve basis to "eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria," with invitees having 72 hours from the email dispatch 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 at least 50 hours of total gameplay.