Switch 2 Pre-Order Scams Target Japan Fans

Japanese Nintendo fans eagerly awaited April 24, 2025 - the day Nintendo planned to announce winners of its official Switch 2 pre-order lottery through the My Nintendo Store. However, overwhelming traffic crashed the store website, prompting maintenance. Worse yet, Nintendo had to warn customers about phishing scams impersonating legitimate lottery result notifications.

The lottery registration began April 2, offering Japanese winners exclusive access to purchase Switch 2 consoles for launch day delivery on June 5.

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed staggering demand - approximately 2.2 million Japanese applicants entered the first pre-order lottery, surpassing all expectations and ensuring disappointment for many hopeful buyers.

Today's lottery result announcement triggered such intense traffic that Nintendo temporarily took the Japanese My Nintendo Store offline. Opportunistic scammers capitalized on the frenzy, circulating fake lottery result emails.

Japanese X users shared screenshots exposing fraudulent messages, noting multiple scam variations. Deceptive subject lines like "Congratulations! You've Won the Switch 2 Lottery" initially appeared legitimate.

These phishing attempts vary from obvious fakes riddled with emojis to sophisticated versions with subtle flaws - misspelled Nintendo domains, suspicious non-Japanese URLs, and urgent demands for immediate LINE app clicks or payments through dubious links.

Nintendo Support Japan officially cautioned: "Lottery result emails haven't been distributed yet as of April 24. Any existing notifications claiming to be from Nintendo are fraudulent."

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Meanwhile, Nintendo's U.S. website updated its release-day delivery policy, warning registered customers that June 5 launch day shipments couldn't be guaranteed.

Invitations might arrive after the console's release, though shipping dates will be confirmed upon purchase. Nintendo now suggests better launch-day availability through third-party retailers - troubling news given Switch 2 pre-orders reportedly sold out overnight.

The April 24 pre-order chaos coupled with Nintendo's warnings indicates extreme scarcity for the next-gen console around launch.

A U.S. Nintendo FAQ reveals the first pre-order invitations will launch May 8, 2025, distributed periodically until general availability begins. Eligibility prioritizes early registrants meeting specific criteria, with 72-hour purchase windows per invitation.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order invitation priority requirements:

• Must be the original purchaser of any Nintendo Switch Online membership
• Must maintain active paid membership for at least 12 consecutive months
• Must opt into gameplay data sharing with minimum 50 total gameplay hours