Nintendo will sell its presence in China Market meaning the end of its run there

In a significant announcement, Nintendo has revealed that the Nintendo Switch eShop and all online services will be discontinued in China by 2026. This decision will impact millions of gamers in the region, marking the end of an era for Nintendo’s presence in the Chinese market.

The Chinese Nintendo eShop will stop selling games and software by March 31, 2026 and after this date, all titles, including paid and free games, will no longer be available for purchase or download followed by the ability to download titles, redeem codes, and access DLC and other network elements by May 15, 2026.

To soften the blow, Nintendo, in collaboration with Tencent, is offering up to four free games to players with active WeChat accounts tied to their Nintendo Switch consoles. This offer is available from November 27, 2024, until March 31, 2026. Eligible games include popular titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Pokémon Let’s Go! Pikachu.

For context, the Nintendo Switch was launched in China in 2020 through a partnership with Tencent, a major player in the Chinese tech industry. Since then, several older Nintendo Switch titles have been localized for the Chinese market.

However, unspecified changes in Tencent’s business operations have led to the decision to end online services in the region by Nintendo simply not renewing their partnership.

The news has been met with mixed reactions from the gaming community. While some players are disappointed by the loss of online services, others are appreciative of the compensation offered by Nintendo. Many are hopeful that this move will lead to improvements in the services offered in other regions.