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Nintendo Switch owners in the US will soon be able to give digital games to people in their Nintendo Account family group. The feature is planned for both the original Switch and Switch 2, although Nintendo’s US pages give different dates for when it will be available.
It covers eligible downloadable games, downloadable content and upgrade packs, giving families a direct way to choose a specific purchase for someone else. There is a restriction I would check first, though: the recipient has to be in your Nintendo Account family group.
Nintendo also says gifts are delivered immediately after purchase. So if you are planning a birthday or holiday surprise, wait until you are ready for the other person to see it.
Nintendo’s example shows the sender choosing a family-group member. Image: Nintendo
Nintendo’s US announcement says November 16, while its Switch 2 support notes say the required eShop update is scheduled for November 17. I would check the eShop and Nintendo’s support page before relying on either date.
How Nintendo’s new digital gifting will work
According to Nintendo’s US announcement, you will start in the eShop on your console and open the page for the item you want. If it is eligible, select the “Give as a Gift” checkbox and continue to purchase.
You can then choose a recipient from your family group, select one of their linked systems and choose a gift-wrap colour. Once the purchase is complete, the gift appears on their HOME Menu, where they can accept it and start playing.
A Nintendo Account family group can contain up to eight members. The feature is not described as a way to send a game to any Switch user by typing a username, so check the group setup before you start shopping.
The recipient can accept the gift from the HOME Menu. Image: Nintendo
The restrictions worth checking before buying
Not every product will be eligible, supervised accounts cannot send gifts, and Nintendo says it will limit the number of digital gift purchases allowed in a given period. The announcement does not specify that limit, so I would check the purchase screen rather than assume there is no cap.
Both supported consoles need system software version 23.5.0 or later. Nintendo says that update began rolling out on November 9; you can check your current version in System Settings if the option does not appear after the feature launches.
Availability can differ by region, so readers elsewhere should check their local Nintendo support page for the rollout in their country.
Nintendo’s example of a received digital gift. Image: Nintendo
Choosing store credit instead
If you would rather let someone choose their own purchase, a US Nintendo eShop $20 digital code is a separate option sold by Amazon. It provides store credit rather than sending a specific game through the new family-group feature; check the account’s region before buying.
Image credit: Nintendo.
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