Nintendo is closing down Switch eShop in China on May 15, 2026.
In a translated post, Nintendo announced it would close its digital storefront for the country, though it didn’t provide a reason for the shutdown. From that date, players will be unable to redeem Switch codes and DLC. Other “network-related services” will no longer be available.
Prior to the May 15 shutdown, the Switch eShop will stop selling digital games and free trials after March 31, 2026.
Nintendo and Tencent’s Switch partnership
Nintendo partnered with Tencent to bring the hybrid console to China in 2019, two years after its initial release. China is now the latest country to lose access to the eShop: last year, Nintendo basically shut the storefront down in Russia, making it one of many companies that retaliated against the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
This past April, the developer ended online support for the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS after pulling the plug on eShops for both systems last year.
As a way to make up for the eShop closure, Nintendo is offering Chinese Switch owners up to four free games that can be redeemed between November 27, 2024 and March 31, 2026. Those games include Super Mario Odyssey, Pokémon: Let’s Go! Pikachu (and its sibling game Let’s Go! Eevee), and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The full list can be found here.