"Switch 2 Pre-Order Lottery Chaos in Japan: Scammers Exploit Desperate Fans"

For Nintendo enthusiasts in Japan, April 24, 2025, marks a significant milestone. This is the day Nintendo planned to announce the winners of the Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the official My Nintendo Store. However, due to an overwhelming surge in traffic, the website had to be taken offline for maintenance. Amidst this frenzy, Nintendo also issued a crucial warning about phishing emails that falsely claim to be official Switch 2 pre-order lottery results.

On April 2, Nintendo opened applications for the Switch 2 pre-order lottery in Japan, offering winners the opportunity to purchase the console from My Nintendo Store, with delivery scheduled for the launch date on June 5. According to a message from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, an astonishing 2.2 million individuals entered the first Switch 2 presale lottery, far surpassing the company's expectations. This massive turnout implies that many hopefuls will not secure a console on launch day.

As the results of the first Switch 2 presale lottery were set to be released on April 24, eager fans flocked to the My Nintendo Store, causing the site to crash and go into maintenance mode. Opportunistic scammers capitalized on this excitement by distributing fraudulent lottery results. Japanese-speaking users on social platforms like X have been proactive, sharing screenshots of these deceptive emails and highlighting various forms of the scam. These emails, with subject lines proclaiming "You have won the Switch 2 lottery," could easily deceive eager fans. The scam emails often include requests to click on LINE messenger links or to make payments via suspicious URLs, urging immediate action to secure the coveted console. The phishing attempts vary in sophistication, from obvious emoji-filled fakes to more subtle errors like misspellings and non-Japanese URLs.

Nintendo's official warning from its Japanese Support account emphasized that, despite planning to send out lottery result emails on April 24, no such emails had been dispatched yet. They advised fans to be cautious of any premature communications claiming to be from Nintendo.

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In the U.S., Nintendo has updated its website, alerting those interested in purchasing a Switch 2 from My Nintendo Store that they cannot guarantee delivery by the June 5 release date. Consequently, invitation emails might arrive after the console's launch. However, Nintendo assures buyers that they will confirm the shipping date at the time of purchase. To increase the chances of securing a Switch 2 at launch, Nintendo suggests pre-ordering from third-party retailers, though pre-orders have already sold out shortly after becoming available.

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

According to a FAQ on Nintendo’s website, the initial batch of invitations for the U.S. My Nintendo Store will begin on May 8, 2025, with additional batches being sent out periodically until the store opens to everyone. These initial emails will be sent on a first-come, first-serve basis to eligible registrants who meet specific priority criteria. Those invited will have 72 hours from the time the email is sent to finalize 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.