Nintendo eShop and online functionalities for Nintendo Switch will be terminated in 2026 in China

[Joseki]

国行Nintendo Switch网络服务运营调整通知

mp.weixin.qq.com

The contents of this operational adjustment are as follows:

• At 22:00 on March 31, 2026 , the Nintendo e-store will stop selling games or tool software. After this date, free demo games and free software tools will also be unavailable.
• At 22:00 on May 15, 2026 , the Nintendo e-store will stop download services and redemption code redemption services.
• In addition to the Nintendo e-store, other network-related services will also be stopped at 22:00 on May 15, 2026 .

 

[Godzilla]

Oh boy, is this what we all think it is? May 15, 2025?

Or do we consider "Switch" regarding Nintendo? I doubt they are terminating all business in china, but having 2 systems up at the same time, might be expensive considering how China works

 

[ILikeFeet]

What a mess. Hopefully something can be sorted before then and the people with native systems can keep playing and transfer their purchases

 

[Lelouch0612]

Why would they close the eshop that soon?

 

[Smelly]

I wonder why? Maybe since most people buy their switch's outside of China there's very few actual Chinese Switch users?

 

[Pipe Dreamer]

People need to remember that this is the China-specific eShop that is run in collaboration with Tencent. This is like when Blizzard terminated its collaboration with Netease in China a few years ago. I expect that the business arrangement simply didn't make sense anymore, especially considering import Switches are likely far more prevalent in China.

 

[AstroB]

I wonder why? Maybe since most people buy their switch's outside of China there's very few actual Chinese Switch users?

Tencent’s National Bank Switch will stop network services, sources say that changes in the business of third-party service

Thanks to Passionategeekz netizens HH_KK Lead delivery! Passionategeekz According to news on November 26, Tencent National Bank Nintendo Switch suddenly

passionategeekz.com

“However, due to recent changes in the service provider’s business in China, it is no longer able to undertake the responsibility, and Nintendo is unable to transfer the relevant work to a new third party. Causing Tencent, which is responsible for the operation of Switch in the Bank of China, to make relevant adjustments.”

This year, China is introducing new regulatory rules for service providers and game developers, publishers, distributors. As far as i understand, this is a big problem for the entire Chinese entertainment industry. I'm not sure Nintendo will go back to China with the next generation.

New Draft Gaming Regulations in China – The Story so Far (as of Jan. 9, 2024)

The National Press and Publication Administration of China (NPPA) published a draft guideline titled “Measures for the Administration of Online Games” on December 22, 2023. The draft regulations consolidate existing regulations into one document and introduce new clarifications and amendments...

nikopartners.com

 

[ktpoison]

Mainland China Nintendo eShop only have 58 applications (DLC and Free apps included), with a big chunk of them being Chinese developed indies. Only 5 Nintendo First Party SKUs were released this year (Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu, Pokémon Let's Go Eevee, New Pokémon Snap, Kirby Star Allies and Brain Training), 1 in 2023 (Big Brain Academy) and 2 in 2022 (Game Builder Garage and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass). There are a total 17 Nintendo SKUs (DLC and Free apps included) available in the eShop (which was opened in 2019).

 

[Danny]

So Sony and Xbox will have no problem continuing their services in China while Nintendo is shutting down there?

 

[SirArthur]

So Sony and Xbox will have no problem continuing their services in China while Nintendo is shutting down there?

Sony and Xbox are not just game companies, they have inroads with the government so they would have more leeway.

 

[Danny]

I think the main impact that this will have is that is probable that Switch 2 will never get an official release in China, meaning grey imports of Switch 2 from Japan will be sky high.

 

[RPG_Fanatic]

Tencent’s National Bank Switch will stop network services, sources say that changes in the business of third-party service

Thanks to Passionategeekz netizens HH_KK Lead delivery! Passionategeekz According to news on November 26, Tencent National Bank Nintendo Switch suddenly

passionategeekz.com

“However, due to recent changes in the service provider’s business in China, it is no longer able to undertake the responsibility, and Nintendo is unable to transfer the relevant work to a new third party. Causing Tencent, which is responsible for the operation of Switch in the Bank of China, to make relevant adjustments.”

This year, China is introducing new regulatory rules for service providers and game developers, publishers, distributors. As far as i understand, this is a big problem for the entire Chinese entertainment industry. I'm not sure Nintendo will go back to China with the next generation.

New Draft Gaming Regulations in China – The Story so Far (as of Jan. 9, 2024)

The National Press and Publication Administration of China (NPPA) published a draft guideline titled “Measures for the Administration of Online Games” on December 22, 2023. The draft regulations consolidate existing regulations into one document and introduce new clarifications and amendments...

nikopartners.com

Yeah, that would do it for shutting down the eshop.

 

[Kmds]

People need to remember that this is the China-specific eShop that is run in collaboration with Tencent. This is like when Blizzard terminated its collaboration with Netease in China a few years ago. I expect that the business arrangement simply didn't make sense anymore, especially considering import Switches are likely far more prevalent in China.

I'm not sure I agree with legal Switches being small given they can still play foreign physical media. Tencent confirmed in January 2021 that Switch had shipped over 1M units legally in just 13 months which is the same level for a very popular system in UK, France and Germany. It's likely sold close to 4M+ legally which is more than PS4 sold legal + black market. ( I make this assumption using Korean Switch sales and assuming that China has sold more Switches as Daniel Ahmad confirmed it's the best selling console and its the Switch's 2nd best market in Asia).

Legal Switch sales are very important even if software sales are more driven by imports.

 

[Sagitario]

I'm not sure I agree with legal Switches being small given they can still play foreign physical media.

IIRC, Chinese Switches are region locked, they can't play game cards from other regions.

 

[seb]

I've received a number of questions asking why this announcement was made. Here's a quick explainer:

China has a unique regulatory landscape when it comes to foreign companies operating within the country. Video games for example require government approval before they can officially launch in the country, and for a Chinese entity to act as the operator of the game.

In 2019, Nintendo partnered with Tencent and formed a JV to bring the Nintendo Switch to China. A China version of the console launched in December 2019, selling over 1m units in its first year.

However, the China ver. is a unique console that is different from the global version.

The China ver. is region unlocked when it comes to cartridge based games, and any game cartridge will work.
The China ver. is region locked when it comes to online services, and only a China Eshop / account is available to use. This means only officially approved games can be downloaded from the China Eshop, of which there are less than 100.

What this means is that a lot of core console gamers prefer to import the console from Japan, Hong Kong or the US, as the global version is fully region unlocked and can access any Eshop store.

The shutdown announcement is specifically referring to the China ver. of the console. Game cartridges and already downloaded games will continue to work ofc, but online services and new game downloads will not.

While an official reason was not given for the closure of online services, the date suggests it's the end date for a contract Nintendo had in place with the service provider under Tencent. The announcement also comes at a time when the Switch is at the end of its lifecycle.

The decision will have a somewhat limited impact on the install base in China, given the limited selection of games via the Eshop + large number of import consoles in use. It's likely Nintendo is currently working with Tencent to negotiate terms for the Switch successor online services.