Nintendo has announced an end to their My Nintendo Gold Points reward scheme, ending what was a nice little cashback bonus for purchases on the eShop in the run up to the Nintendo Switch 2 launch.
From 25th March 2025, you will no longer earn Gold Points when making digital purchases from the eShop or when redeeming download codes. After that point, you’ll have up to 12 months from the date you earned any points to spend them on the eShop.
There’s further exceptions to this cut off date, as any physical games that were released prior to 25th March will still have a Gold Points redemption available to them for up to 2 years from their original release date. Any digital pre-orders placed before 25th March will also award points at the time that the purchase is completed – cancelling a pre-order will obviously exclude you from earning those points.
For full details, visit the My Nintendo announcement.
Introduced back in 2018, Nintendo Gold Points award 5% of the amount you pay when purchasing digital content, and 1% redeemed from physical games, which can then be used to fund further purchases of digital software and DLC via the eShop. It’s been a great incentive over the past 7 years, putting a few coins back into your pocket and encouraging you to keep spending and/or subsidising that next big game launch.
Nintendo has decided to cancel the programme practically on the eve of the Nintendo Switch 2’s reveal and expected release. With rumours that Nintendo could push for higher game prices, and the huge player base that the Switch has going into the console transition, this kind of scheme isn’t needed anymore – it was a sweetener to help fuel platform growth after the disappointment of the Wii U.
Other rumours and speculation suggest that Nintendo could also be planning for a price increase for Nintendo Switch Online, and it’s entirely possible that they reconsider or restrict the Switch game vouchers benefit for subscribers, which allows you to spend £84 to get two vouchers for certain first party and exclusive games.
In the meantime, Mario’s been spotted running around in a pair of swimming short on his way to a McDuck-like vault filled with all those gold coins he no longer needs to share!
