Nintendo has issued a warning to its customers in Japan, saying a “significant” number will miss out on pre-ordering a Switch 2 direct from the company.
In a statement issued to X / Twitter, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the company had seen 2.2 million people in Japan alone apply for a pre-order of the Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store. This “extremely large number of applications… far exceeds our expectations, and far exceeds the number of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles that can be delivered from the My Nintendo Store on June 5,” Furukawa explained.
As a result, Nintendo expects a “significant” number of customers will not be selected when the winners of the My Nintendo Store lottery sale are announced tomorrow, April 24. Nintendo has so far not issued a similar warning to customers in the west.
Those who miss out will be carried over to the second lottery sale, but even here Nintendo can’t guarantee a pre-order. “We deeply apologize for not being able to meet your expectations despite our prior preparations.” Furukawa said.
Nintendo is now working to improve its production system, and from April 24, game retailers and online stores across Japan will begin accepting pre-orders or lottery sales for the Switch 2. The console will also continue to be sold at the My Nintendo Store after the release date. “With the cooperation of retailers, we will continue to ship the console and make efforts to get as many Nintendo Switch 2 consoles as possible into your hands,” Furukawa added.
“We plan to continue producing and shipping a considerable number of Nintendo Switch 2 units in the future. We apologize for the delay in our ability to meet your expectations, and we appreciate your understanding.”
While Furukawa’s statement is aimed at the Japan market, it raises the question of whether Nintendo will suffer similar issues in the west. According to a FAQ posted to Nintendo’s website, the first batch of invitations will go out starting May 8, 2025 for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. Additional batches of invitation emails will then be sent “periodically” until purchasing on My Nintendo Store is opened to everyone.
Initial invitation emails will be delivered on a first-come, first-serve basis to “eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria.” Invitees will have 72 hours from the time when 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, and
- you must have opted in to share gameplay data and have at least 50 hours total gameplay hours.
Last week, Nintendo announced that Switch 2 pre-orders would begin in the U.S. on April 24, 2025, and that the original price of $449.99 and launch date of June 5 would remain the same. Alongside the base console price remaining the same, Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will remain at $499.99 and pricing for both the physical and digital versions of Mario Kart World ($79.99) and Donkey Kong Bananza ($69.99) will not change at launch. But Nintendo raised the price of Switch 2 accessories amid the ongoing tariff turmoil.
Nintendo had originally planned on opening pre-orders for Switch 2 on April 9, but it made the decision to delay them as it needed time to “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions.”
If you’re looking to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2, GameCube controller, or other accessories and games, make sure to keep an eye on our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order hub, which will stay updated with news and info. You can also find out more about how to increase your chances of getting a new Nintendo Switch 2 console on day one.
Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
