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It looks like the Nintendo Switch generation will be coming to an end very soon in China. This week, it was announced that the Switch eShop and all other online services will shut down in the region, starting in 2026.
Like most other game companies looking to break into the Chinese market, Nintendo partnered with Tencent to manage its services in the region. This week, it was confirmed that it will be shutting down access to the Switch eShop and other Switch Online services on the 31st of March 2026 and the 15th of May, respectively. This only impacts China, so all other regions should continue to have access to Switch online services until Nintendo itself decides to pull the plug, which likely won't be until the company's next-gen console has been on the market for a number of years.
Due to the shutdown, Tencent is giving away up to four games from a list of Nintendo Switch titles to those in China with an active WeChat account, including:
- New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Super Mario Party
- Mario Tennis Aces
- Yoshi’s Crafted World
- Flexible Brain School
- Dr Kawashima’s Brain Exercises
- Kirby Star Allies
- New Pokémon Snap
- Pokémon Go! Pikachu
- Pokémon Let’s Go! Eevee
Interestingly, this comes at a time when Nintendo is widely expected to announce its next-generation Switch console, often referred to online as the Switch 2. The new console should launch in 2025, although a launch in China may take a while longer.
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KitGuru Says: It seems a bit soon to be talking about Switch services being closed down. Hopefully Nintendo maintains access in other territories for significantly longer.
