Nintendo adds digital game gifting to Switch and Switch 2

Nintendo released firmware update version 23.5.0 for both the Nintendo Switch and the newer Switch 2 console on November 9, 2026, adding support for digital game gifting through the Nintendo eShop, and IGN and Gematsu reproduced Nintendo’s patch notes listing the new version. Nintendo’s patch notes say the feature becomes available after an eShop update scheduled for November 17, 2026. Kotaku and Polygon reported that gifting launches November 16, 2026. Polygon said Nintendo regularly releases updates for both consoles and that this one, besides technical updates, added support for a highly requested gifting feature.

Players can gift eligible digital software, including games, upgrade packs, or DLC, through the Nintendo eShop to members of a Nintendo Account family group. The feature works on both the first Nintendo Switch and the newer Switch 2 console. Nintendo’s patch notes say the feature includes only eligible games as well as DLC and upgrade packs. Kotaku said some games may be unavailable for gifting, and Polygon said details on eligibility were not provided.

To send a gift, a player ticks the Give as a Gift checkbox on an eShop product page, picks a recipient from the family group, chooses a wrapping color, and completes the purchase. The purchaser can select which of the recipient’s linked systems receives the gift. Nintendo said on November 10, 2026 that gifted items arrive on the console linked to the shipping address selected at purchase.

Gifted digital software arrives right away, and buyers cannot schedule it in advance. Kotaku warned shoppers not to buy Christmas gifts early because gifted games arrive immediately. Polygon called immediate delivery a setback compared with Steam, where scheduling is possible. IGN told buyers to be ready because gifts arrive right away.

IGN reported on November 10, 2026 that Nintendo’s English gifting page is live and shows how the feature works. The page confirms the feature covers games and add-ons Nintendo marks as eligible, and that gifts are sent immediately so buyers should be ready. A recipient does not have to provide payment details or a code and can accept and use the gifted product once it arrives.

Gifts can go only to members of a Nintendo Account family group, which includes up to eight members. Users outside a family group cannot receive gifts, even when they are friends on Switch, and Polygon noted disappointment among players who wanted to gift all their friends. Supervised accounts or child accounts cannot send digital gifts. The outlet contrasted this with Steam, where gifting to friends is possible.

Nintendo caps the number of digital gifts a user can buy within a set time frame. Polygon reported on November 10, 2026 that Nintendo has not explained whether the cap depends on how many games are sent, the software type such as DLC, or the gift’s value.

The feature suits a child’s game or birthday or anniversary gifts, Nintendo said. Nintendo described the timing as “just in time for the holidays.”

On consoles, only Microsoft allows Xbox players to gift digital games, while Steam and PC platforms have supported gifting for at least a decade, Kotaku reported. People had to rely on digital store cards.

Gifting on Nintendo Switch returns for the first time since the Wii Shop’s closure, Nintendo World Report said on October 15, 2026, though it is limited to users within the same Nintendo Switch Online family group. Nintendo World Report said on October 15, 2026 that Nintendo joined the Accessible Games Initiative to help people with injuries or disabilities use systems more easily.

The 23.5.0 update also adds Portuguese (Portugal) to speech settings and to GameChat speech settings. Nintendo said on November 10, 2026 that version 23.5.0 includes general adjustments and fixes to improve the user experience. For first-time setup on Switch 2, the update adds accessibility settings including text-to-speech and larger font sizes. Nintendo World Report said the update adds these options to initial setup.