It seems that shortages of the Nintendo Switch 2 are looking increasingly likely after Nintendo Japan issued a warning to customers, saying a “significant” number will miss out on pre-ordering a Switch 2 as it “cannot fulfill” all of the pre-order applications it has already received through its Japanese store.

This comes from Nintendo Japan’s official account on X, where president Shuntaro Furukawa issued a statement confirming that the company's storefront has seen 2.2 million people apply for a pre-order of the Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store in Japan alone. Furukawa adds that this is a number that “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.”

Can we see a similar situation in the West?

As a result of this, Nintendo expects a significant number of customers won’t be lucky in the My Nintendo Store lottery. Those who don’t secure a console will automatically be carried over to the second lottery sale, but even then, Nintendo can't guarantee a pre-order. Third-party retailers in Japan will also begin taking pre-orders tomorrow, April 24th, as the company continues to “make efforts to get as many Nintendo Switch 2 consoles as possible into your hands.”

“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. 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.” [translated]

Nintendo president, Shuntaro Furukawa, via Nintendo X

As of now, Nintendo has not issued a similar warning to customers in the West, but judging by the situation in Japan, it does raise concerns. In other parts of the world, pre-orders have already been open for several weeks, including most of Europe, and stores have sold out quickly. For U.S. consumers, pre-orders open tomorrow (April 24th) for $449 following an initial delay due to tariff concerns.

Interestingly, the original Switch sold 360,000 units in Japan in its first month of release, and now with the Switch 2, Nintendo is seeing six times the demand, showing just how many eager people have been waiting for a sequel. This is especially notable given that the pricing for the Switch 2 has come under scrutiny, with Nintendo even suggesting that some buyers consider the original Switch instead. But these numbers make it clear that gamers are still going to get their hands on the Switch 2.

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Hassam Nasir

Hassam boasts over seven years of professional experience as a dedicated PC hardware reviewer and writer.