The latest Nintendo Switch system update added support for an upcoming feature that will let users gift digital software purchased through the eShop. The gifting system is set to launch this month, meaning Switch users will be able to add digital games to their letters to Santa this festive season.
Nintendo continues to regularly release updates for the Switch and Switch 2, ensuring both consoles are in the best possible state and progressively improving user experience. Usually, these patch notes mostly focus on system stability, but that was not the case this time around. On Nov. 9, Nintendo released firmware update v23.5.0 for both Switch and Switch 2. Besides the usual technical updates, it added support for a highly requested feature: gifting.
Gift your friends and family digital Switch games starting next week
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Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo
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Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo
Starting on Nov. 16, players will be able to purchase digital software (games, upgrade packs, or DLC) in the eShop and have it delivered to friends and family. This feature has been a long time coming, and Nintendo decided to add it at the right time — just in time for the holidays.
Once this feature is live, players will be able to tick the “Give as a Gift” box when buying a product on the eShop. Then, all they need to do is select the recipient, pick the wrapping color, and complete the purchase.
Digital gifts on the eShop will be sent immediately and cannot be scheduled, like on Steam. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only setback. First, supervised accounts, meaning accounts under parental control, cannot use the gifting system. While details haven’t been provided yet, there is a limit on how many gifts a user can send within a given time period. It is currently unknown whether the limit is based on the number of games, the type of software it is (DLC or game), or the value of the gift. Players cannot send gifts to users outside their family group, even if they are Switch friends.
These restrictions make sense, but some players were disappointed when they found out they couldn’t gift all of their friends. Nintendo family groups have a maximum of eight members, which certainly makes this feature feel limited. Nevertheless, this addition is a step in the right direction.
