Nintendo says a ‘significant number’ of Japanese players will miss out on its Switch 2 pre-order lottery
The number of people who applied “far exceeded” its expectations, president Shuntaro Furakawa says
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has warned that a “significant number” of players in Japan will miss out on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders, after 2.2 million applied for its My Nintendo pre-order lottery.
Pre-orders for Nintendo‘s next system have been slowly opening around the world, with the UK and Europe opening pre-orders at the start of April. On Thursday, Japanese players who applied to the My Nintendo lottery for a chance to pre-order the console will find out if they have been chosen.
However, a new statement from Furakawa warns that many players will miss out, due to unprecedented demand for the system in the region.
“This is Furukawa,” the statement reads. “To deliver Nintendo Switch 2 to all of you, we have been procuring a large number of components in advance and proceeding with production. On April 2, we announced the details of Nintendo Switch 2 and began accepting applications for a lottery sale on the My Nintendo Store. As a result, we received applications from an astonishing 2.2 million people in Japan alone.
“However, this far exceeded our prior expectations and greatly surpasses the number of Nintendo Switch 2 units we can deliver from the My Nintendo Store on June 5. Consequently, it is with great regret that we anticipate a significant number of customers will not be selected in tomorrow’s lottery announcement on April 24.”
Furukawa stated that fans who are not selected in the initial drawing will be automatically re-entered into the next round of the lottery.
“To spare those who were not selected in the first lottery sale the trouble of reapplying, the My Nintendo Store will automatically carry over unselected applicants from the first lottery to the second lottery,” he explained. “However, even with the number of units available in the second lottery sale, we will not be able to fulfil all the applications we have received. We deeply apologize for failing to meet your expectations despite our preparations.”
古川です。みなさまのお手元に「Nintendo Switch 2」をお届けすべく、事前に多くの部材を調達し、生産を進めてきました。4月2日には「Nintendo Switch…
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) April 23, 2025
Nintendo has also said it will strengthen its production pipeline going forward, and recommends Japanese fans enter other lotteries or attempt to pre-order at other local retailers.
“In response to this demand, we are currently taking steps to further strengthen our production system,” the statement continues.
“Regarding product shipments, starting tomorrow, April 24, reservations or lottery sales for Nintendo Switch 2 will gradually begin at game retailers and online shops nationwide (please check with each retailer for details). The My Nintendo Store will also continue sales after the launch date (details will be provided at a later date). With the cooperation of our retail partners, we will continue shipments to ensure as many Nintendo Switch 2 units as possible reach your hands, and we will keep striving to achieve this.
“Furthermore, we are planning to produce and ship a substantial number of Nintendo Switch 2 units moving forward. We sincerely apologize for the time it will take to fully meet your expectations and kindly ask for your understanding.”
The Switch 2 console and launch title Mario Kart World are both set to release on June 5. Last week, a Mario Kart World Direct shared more information on the upcoming launch game, including some of its new courses, items, characters and outfits.
Nintendo kicked off its Switch 2 marketing in many territories. Notably, it started airing multiple television spots in Japan, in addition to street advertising.
