OSAKA — Nintendo’s Switch 2 game console, which is selling at a record pace and remains elusive in shops a month after its release, may not become easier to purchase until the spring, say analysts who project sales of 18 million to 20 million units this fiscal year.

Nintendo’s official online store in Japan began accepting applications for a fifth lottery sale of the Switch 2 on Wednesday. Many people who lost previous lotteries appear to be applying, but a mood of resignation pervades social media, with some complaining that they keep striking out no matter how many times they apply.