One of my favourite things about the Nintendo Switch 2 is the fundamental improvements it’s made to the eShop experience. Instead of running and looking like absolute rubbish, most of the storefront has been completely overhauled for the new console.
Instead of avoiding it like the plague unless I need to renew a review code, I now ensure I hop onto it each and every day to scope out new releases or deals. It’s fun to browse, not to mention I’m way more tempted to pick up digital games than I ever was before. At least, that was my mindset before Nintendo started stripping out the eShop’s very best features.
Nintendo Was Wrong To Get Rid Of Gold Points On Switch
Over the years, Nintendo has done a fantastic job of offering consumers additional perks for purchasing its first-party titles. For a long time, Club Nintendo points could be earned using a code found in physical versions of games, which could then be renewed to purchase official merchandise ranging from notebooks to plushies to soundtrack CDs. It was a wonderful service that rewarded dedicated players with goods you couldn’t find anywhere else. But we saw this phased out before the original Switch was released in 2017 with no true replacement.
When the Nintendo Switch launched with a new and incredibly mediocre form of the eShop, it did so with Gold Points. For every penny spent on digital purchases, you would earn one point, which could then be used on future purchases to save money. If you were picking up games on the regular for $10 or $20 a piece, it wasn’t only a matter of time until you had a healthy amount of points that could slice the price of a more premium product. It was a very generous system, and one that Nintendo has seen fit to put a stop to.
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Somehow, The Switch 2 Became My Most Problematic Relationship
When it comes to the Nintendo Switch 2, I’m not sure what I think anymore.
You were encouraged with a small monetary bonus to play and enjoy games on Switch even if the visuals or performance were slightly inferior as a result, but now that appeal is gone. It is still possible to earn gold points from physical editions of games released before March 23 of this year, although they will also expire sooner rather than later, so you have an incentive to use them rather than stockpile a seemingly unlimited amount. I’d be a fool to claim it was a perfect system, but as far as such schemes go in the modern landscape, it was excellent.
If you’re still broken up about the elimination of Gold Points, I’ve got some bad news. Game Vouchers are going to be nixed in a matter of months as well. Game Vouchers are a perk of Nintendo Switch Online that allow you to purchase two vouchers for £84.00/$99.99, which can then be redeemed for a number of first-party Nintendo Switch titles. When using vouchers, you save a decent amount of money compared to if you were to pick up both titles solo, physically or digitally. It’s a good deal, and one I’ve taken advantage of several times over the years.
As of January 30, 2026, however, this feature will no longer be available for Switch Online members. Existing vouchers will still work, and you’ll have a full year until they expire, but removing this feature feels like Nintendo has realised it can make more money without its existence instead of doing it for any good reason. It’s a negative no matter how you spin it, and no valid excuse is given within the blog post apart from ‘oh wow, people are getting one hell of a deal here, we can’t have that’, and people are reacting as expected. It sucks.
Gamers are going to be worse off because of this feature’s removal, and the only reason for it is the potential to make more profits by charging full price for individual digital titles. Nintendo is slowly but surely transitioning into a more traditional platform holder where extra features like gold points, game vouchers, and Club Nintendo are being phased out because it’s come to realise there are additional revenue streams to be taken advantage of instead of making us feel appreciated. The removal of game vouchers is simply the latest example of that vision.
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Original Release Date
- June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $449.99
- Operating System
- Proprietary
