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Nintendo has announced a new feature for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 that will make it easier for players to gift digital games to their friends and family. Until now, users haven’t had a direct way to purchase a digital game through the Nintendo eShop and send it to someone else’s account. However, that is finally changing, as Nintendo is preparing to introduce digital gifting just in time for the holiday season.
According to Nintendo’s official announcement, the new feature will become available on November 16, 2026, allowing users to purchase eligible digital games and send them directly to another Nintendo Account. However, there’s one important restriction. The feature will only work between members of the same Nintendo Account family group, so it’s not open to just anyone on your friends list.
How does it work?
For those unfamiliar with the system, Nintendo allows users to create a family group with up to eight members. Anyone with a Nintendo Account can set one up, making it possible to add family members and share access to certain account-related features.
The good news is that digital gifting won’t be limited to full games. Nintendo has confirmed that users will also be able to purchase and gift eligible downloadable content (DLC) and upgrade packs. This could be particularly useful for Switch 2 owners who want to gift someone an upgrade for a game they already own.
As for how the feature works, Nintendo is keeping the process fairly simple. Users will need to open the Nintendo eShop on their Switch or Switch 2 and find the game they want to purchase. On the game’s store page, there will be a new “Give as a Gift” option that can be selected before completing the purchase.
After that, users can choose the recipient from their family group and select which of their linked consoles should receive the gift. Nintendo will also offer different gift wrap colors and other options to make the purchase feel more like an actual present.
Once the purchase is completed, the game will be delivered immediately to the recipient’s HOME Menu. They can then accept the gift and start playing without having to redeem a separate code.
However, Nintendo has confirmed a few limitations. Not every digital product will be eligible for gifting, and supervised accounts won’t be allowed to send gifts. There will also be restrictions on how many digital gifts a user can purchase within a certain period, although Nintendo hasn’t provided the exact limit. Alongside the announcement, Nintendo has also released system update 23.5.0, which adds support for the upcoming gifting feature.
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