Nintendo eShop gifting is coming to Switch and Switch 2 in November 2026. Nintendo released system update 23.5.0 on November 9 to prepare both consoles for the feature. Players will be able to buy eligible games, DLC, and upgrade packs for members of their Nintendo Account family group. Nintendo’s US announcement lists November 16 as the launch date, while the patch notes list November 17.
This article explains the release date, how gifting works, the limits, and the other changes in the update.
Nintendo eShop Gifting Release Date and Features
Nintendo announced the feature on November 9, 2026. It will arrive through a Nintendo eShop update, not through the system update itself. The system update only adds the support the consoles need.
The patch notes say the gifting feature will be available after an eShop update scheduled for November 17, 2026. Nintendo’s US announcement says the feature arrives on November 16. Nintendo has not explained the one-day difference.
Gifting will work on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Both consoles need system software version 23.5.0 or later.
Players can gift eligible games, DLC, and upgrade packs. Gifts are only possible between members of the same Nintendo Account family group. A family group can have up to 8 members.
How to Gift Games on Nintendo eShop
Nintendo has shared the basic steps. The process starts from the product page in the eShop.
- Open Nintendo eShop on your console and find the game you want to gift.
- On the product page, tick the Give as a Gift checkbox, then continue to purchase.
- Pick the recipient from your family group list.
- Choose which of their linked systems should receive the gift.
- Pick a gift wrap colour and other options, then complete the purchase.
The gift is sent right after the purchase. The recipient finds it on the HOME Menu of their system. They accept it there and can start playing.
Nintendo eShop Gifting Restrictions
The feature has several limits. Nintendo has said these rules apply:
- Only members of your Nintendo Account family group can receive gifts.
- Not every digital product will be eligible.
- Supervised accounts cannot send digital gifts.
- Nintendo will cap the number of gift purchases in a set period.
Nintendo has not said what that cap is. It has also not detailed refund handling. Players who want to send a game to a friend outside their family group cannot do so under this feature.
Nintendo already lets family group members lend Virtual Game Cards to each other. That system is separate. Gifting is a purchase made for another person, and the game stays in the recipient’s library.
Switch and Switch 2 Update 23.5.0 Patch Notes
Update 23.5.0 went live on November 9, 2026. Both consoles get gifting support and general fixes. Switch 2 also gets two extra changes.
| Feature | Switch 2 | Switch |
|---|---|---|
| eShop gifting support | Yes | Yes |
| Accessibility settings in first-time setup | Yes | No |
| Portuguese (Portugal) text-to-speech | Yes | No |
On Switch 2, players can now set accessibility options during the first-time setup. Before this, those settings sat inside System Settings after setup was done.
Switch 2 also adds Portuguese (Portugal) to the text-to-speech languages under Accessibility in System Settings. The same language was added to the GameChat “Convert Text to Speech” list. The original Switch does not get these two additions.
What Players Should Do Before Gifting Goes Live
Players who want to use gifting should install update 23.5.0 first. They should also check that their Nintendo Account family group is set up. Only people already in the group can send or receive gifts.
Nintendo has not shared more details about the purchase flow or the list of eligible products. Players can check the Nintendo eShop on launch day for the full list of rules.
