Nintendo Switch 2 Demand “Far Exceeds” Expectations in Japan

One of the biggest questions surrounding Nintendo Switch 2 is how it will sell once it gets released. While there seems to be a lot of buzz surrounding Nintendo’s new system, it can often be difficult to determine whether that will translate to actual sales. Earlier this month, Nintendo Account users were given the opportunity to register their interest, for a chance to preorder the system directly from Nintendo instead of through outside retailers. In a statement on X/Twitter (translated by Google), Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that the number of Japanese users that registered their demand is much higher than the company expected.

“As a result, we received an extremely large number of applications, approximately 2.2 million people in Japan alone. However, this number 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 5th. Therefore, unfortunately, we expect that a significant number of customers will not be selected when the winners are announced tomorrow, April 24th,” writes Furukawa.

The Nintendo president went on to say that those who aren’t selected from the first round will automatically carry over to a second round. That means they won’t have to register again, because they’ll automatically be entered into the lottery sale. Unfortunately, even with the second lottery, Furukawa warned that there still won’t be enough supply for everyone that registered. Nintendo does plan on ramping up production, and Furukawa recommended that fans look at outside retailers, if they aren’t chosen during Nintendo’s own lotteries.

The lottery system seems to be an effort on Nintendo’s part to avoid problems with resellers. Since the lottery system goes through the user’s My Nintendo account, it’s a way to make sure that dedicated fans get the new console, instead of someone looking to make money on eBay. It’s a great idea, but Nintendo clearly wasn’t counting on demand being this high. Furukawa’s comments only relate to the Japanese market, so it remains to be seen how things will play out in areas like the U.S. and Canada. However, those counting on the My Nintendo lottery should have a backup plan, just in case.

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Preorders for Nintendo Switch 2 will begin tomorrow, April 24th. Some retailers will begin taking preorders at midnight, while others will be waiting until later in the day. Those selected through the lottery in the U.S. should expect to receive notification from Nintendo sometime on May 8th. Nintendo Switch 2 itself will be arriving on June 5th. Two versions of the system will be offered: a base model for $449.99, and a Mario Kart World bundle priced at $499.99. The latter option will likely be more difficult to obtain, as it cuts the price of the included game by $30.

Do you plan on buying a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch? Are you worried about the new system being hard to come by? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!