Nintendo Ditching Switch Game Vouchers, Ending a Good Way to Save Money on Switch 1 Games and Switch 2 Upgrades

Nintendo volition discontinue its Switch Game Vouchers scheme, which presently allows Nintendo Switch Online subscribers to bargain Switch 1 games astatine a discount.

Detailing its plans successful a lengthy FAQ leafage published today, the institution said Switch Game Vouchers would beryllium ditched arsenic of January 30, 2026 — meaning fans inactive person six months should they inactive privation to bargain more.

No crushed has been fixed for the scheme's ending, though it follows Nintendo's determination not to let vouchers to beryllium redeemed for Switch 2 software, and aft the motorboat of Nintendo's first-ever $80 game, Mario Kart World.

Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers were archetypal introduced successful 2019, and connection a level acquisition terms for 2 Nintendo Switch games bought wrong a 12-month period. In the UK, this terms is acceptable astatine £84, meaning you wage an mean of £42 for a game.

This typically represents an £8 redeeming per crippled from the modular £50 Switch crippled RRP — and an adjacent greater redeeming connected the prime games that Nintendo prices astatine £60: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

And portion Nintendo has not extended the strategy to Switch 2 games, fans person realised they tin inactive usage vouchers to bargain the original, Switch 1 versions of games with paid Switch 2 upgrades, specified arsenic Zelda: Breath of the Wild, offering a cheaper method of obtaining those too.

For example, Switch 2 owners tin presently bargain a brace of Switch Game Vouchers and redeem them to play cross-generational games specified arsenic Metroid Prime: Beyond, oregon the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which is owed for motorboat successful October. Z-A is priced astatine the accustomed £50 for Switch 1, oregon £60 for its Switch 2 Edition. Buy it utilizing a Game Voucher, and you tin inactive get the £8 redeeming for Z-A's Switch 1 edition, earlier simply paying the £10 upgrade interest to entree the Switch 2 Edition.

As ever, Switch Game Vouchers indispensable beryllium redeemed wrong 12 months aft purchase, though Nintendo has said that further Switch titles volition proceed to beryllium added to the Game Voucher catalogue passim 2026.

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa precocious suggested that the institution was present exploring shorter crippled improvement cycles for immoderate projects to assistance support its costs down, and debar pricing games excessively highly.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social