This is a huge blow for the gaming fraternity after Nintendo announced that it was shutting down its online services on Nintendo Switch in China. The decision is set to put the action into full use by May 15 this year, effectively ushering in the curtain call for the console in one of the world’s largest gaming markets. The move also allows speculation that the highly awaited Nintendo Switch 2 may finally show up and rewrite the company’s future in China and elsewhere.
Online service on Nintendo consoles in China comes to an end next year, meaning the eShop will be closed. Key dates include:
March 31, 2026: The eShop will finally close for the purchase of games and software, along with its DLCs, within China. Access to the free demo or trial of different applications could not be redeemed, nor would any promotional code be used at that moment in time.
date on which all network-related services will be discontinued. That also includes online multiplayer gaming, game downloads, and code redemptions.
The transition is led by Tencent, the partner of Nintendo in the Chinese market since 2019. To sweeten this news, particularly for the affected gamers, Tencent is giving away popular games through WeChat, such as Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This free giveaway of up to four titles is effective until March 31, 2026, with the caveat that all needed downloads are completed before the services are shut down completely in May.
While Nintendo hasn’t provided a more elaborate explanation as to why this shutdown is occurring, the incident does come after some changes in Tencent business operations, and it is cof Falling in line with changing Tencent business operations, the move also fits into a broader context of China’s ever-tightening online gaming regulations.
Setting limits to gaming time and other regulations, China’s government has tightened restrictions, especially for minors. Such policies have brought international gaming firms to a screeching halt and might be an influencing factor behind Nintendo and Tencent’s decision.
That announcement has fired up a furnace of speculation regarding Nintendo’s next console. For now, the machine is being referred to by many as the Nintendo Switch 2. Here is what we know, so far:
Expected Announcement: January 2025
Potential Publication Date: March 2025
Rumored features include more powerful hardware, 4K output, improved performance, and backward compatibility with existing Switch games.
While Nintendo announced that it would unveil a successor to the Switch within its current fiscal year, thereby ending March 2025, confirmation has made some fans get excited-though what impact this could have for the Chinese market remains ambiguous. The shutdown means that Chinese gamers will not have any access to Nintendo’s online ecosystem, leaving a big hole in the hearts of the fans of the console. However, with the uncertainty of the Switch 2 being less certain to reach China, many don’t know just how Nintendo is going to reach into this highly regulated market for their next console.
Furthermore, the shutdown also puts into question digital preservation, because after May 15, 2026, gamers will no longer have access to previously purchased games. The pullout of Nintendo’s online services from China and the expectation for Switch 2 reflect a constantly changing pathway to which Nintendo is being pushed at this nascent stage in evolving video game technology. And the question would then be, will the new console live up to global expectations among gamers while successfully overcoming the regulatory challenge presented by China?.
