Nintendo plans to shut down the Switch eShop and online services in China by 2026

Nintendo revealed its plan to discontinue the online store and services for the Switch in China by the conclusion of May 2026.

The statement, reported by Eurogamer, mentions that digital sales via the eShop will end on March 31, 2026, accompanied by the cessation of free trials.

Following May 15, users in China will lose the ability to redeem codes, download software, and access any network-dependent services.

The company has not provided any explanation for this move.

To mitigate the impact on Chinese Switch users, Nintendo is offering up to four games at no cost, redeemable from November 27, 2024, until March 31, 2026.

A selection of 12 games will be available, including titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee.

The Nintendo Switch was introduced in China in 2019, more than two years after its global launch, in collaboration with Tencent.