Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Overwhelm Japanese eShop: High Demand Causes Site Issues

Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Overwhelm Japanese eShop: High Demand Causes Site Issues The recent full reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 during last week’s highly anticipated Nintendo Direct has ignited an unprecedented surge in consumer interest across Japan.

As a result, the official Japanese Nintendo eShop and Nintendo online store have experienced significant site slowdowns, with technical issues preventing many customers from accessing key features such as order history and wish lists. Nintendo’s announcement of the Switch 2 marks the next chapter for the company’s breakthrough hybrid console platform.

Since its original launch, the Nintendo Switch family has become one of the best-selling hardware lines in Nintendo’s extensive history, surpassing 132 million units as of early 2024.

The strong momentum has now extended to the next generation, as fans vie for early access to the new hardware. Following the Nintendo Direct announcement, the influx of visitors has overloaded the eShop’s infrastructure.

At the top of the official Japanese Nintendo website, Nintendo has posted an official statement explaining the situation: the website is still experiencing technical difficulties, with some users unable to properly view their order history or wish list.

Nintendo has assured customers that they are working to resolve these issues, expressing apologies for any inconvenience caused, and advised customers to wait a bit before trying again if problems persist. To manage extraordinary demand and minimize reseller abuse, Nintendo has implemented a lottery-based pre-order system for the Switch 2 in Japan.

Under this approach, prospective buyers must meet certain eligibility requirements, such as having a record of Nintendo account activity or an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription, to enter the lottery.

Those who are selected have the opportunity to pre-order one of the available Switch 2 consoles or bundles.

While there were early reports that successful participants could not choose their preferred bundle, recent confirmation indicates that Japanese customers can, in fact, select their preferred option once chosen in the lottery process. Despite these efforts to ensure a fair purchasing opportunity and prevent webstore overload, the sheer volume of demand—combined with a multi-step verification process—has contributed to the ongoing technical difficulties.

Nintendo’s commitment to resolving the situation is ongoing, and the company continues to update customers as the site stabilizes. The global gaming community is closely watching this rollout, as the response to the Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan could mirror demand in other regions when pre-orders go live.

For now, Nintendo Switch fans are encouraged to remain patient as the company works to improve site performance and manage the historic demand for the next evolution in its flagship hardware lineup. For ongoing updates about Nintendo Switch 2, digital storefront status, and future Nintendo Direct events, stay tuned to verified industry sources and the official Nintendo channels.

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