Nintendo has announced a new digital game gifting feature for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, allowing players to purchase eligible games and downloadable content for other users directly through the Nintendo eShop.
The feature is scheduled to launch on November 16, 2026, in North America, just ahead of the holiday shopping season. However, there is one significant restriction: digital gifts can only be sent to members of the same Nintendo Account family group.
How Nintendo’s Digital Game Gifting Works
According to Nintendo’s official announcement on November 9, the feature will support eligible digital games, downloadable content (DLC), and upgrade packs.
Players will be able to purchase digital products as gifts directly from the Nintendo eShop on their consoles.
The process involves several steps:
- Open Nintendo eShop and select an eligible digital product.
- Choose the “Give as a Gift” option on the product page.
- Select a recipient from the Nintendo Account family group.
- Choose which linked console should receive the gift.
- Select a digital gift-wrap color and complete the purchase.
Once the purchase is completed, the digital gift will be delivered immediately to the recipient’s HOME Menu.
Recipients can then accept the gift and begin playing without entering a download code or completing another purchase.
Digital Gifting Comes With Several Restrictions
While Nintendo is introducing a convenient way to give digital games, the feature will not support unrestricted gifting between friends.
Recipients must belong to the same Nintendo Account family group, which can contain up to eight members.
Nintendo has also confirmed several additional restrictions:
- Not every Nintendo eShop product will be eligible for gifting.
- Supervised Nintendo Accounts cannot send digital gifts.
- The number of digital gift purchases permitted within a given period will be limited.
- Gifts are delivered immediately rather than being scheduled for a later date.
Nintendo has not specified the exact purchase limit or provided a complete list of excluded products.
System Update 23.5.0 Required
The feature will require Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 system software version 23.5.0 or later.
The system update began rolling out on November 9, 2026, preparing both consoles for the upcoming functionality.
However, installing the system update alone does not activate gifting. The feature is scheduled to become available through a separate Nintendo eShop update on November 16 in North America.
Nintendo’s announcement presents the new feature as a way for family members to purchase digital games for one another, particularly during birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.
But the family-group requirement means players still will not be able to send digital games directly to anyone on their Nintendo friends list.
Should Nintendo eventually expand digital game gifting beyond family groups and allow players to send games to any friend?
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