Nintendo to Let Family Group Members Gift Digital Games From Nov. 16
Nintendo will let family group members gift digital games, DLC and upgrade packs to each other through the eShop on Switch and Switch 2 starting November 16. The feature needs system version 23.5.0, which began rolling out November 9, 2026.
Nintendo will let family group members gift digital games to one another through the Nintendo eShop on Switch and Switch 2 starting November 16, the company said.
The timing is deliberate. Nintendo describes the feature as arriving "just in time for the holidays."
What you can gift
Players can give eligible games, DLC and upgrade packs that they buy through the eShop on their own device. Recipients must belong to the buyer's family group.
Anyone with a Nintendo Account can set up a family group. A group holds up to 8 members in total.
Limits to know
Not every product qualifies. Nintendo said some products may not be eligible for digital gifting.
Supervised accounts cannot send digital gifts. The number of gift purchases allowed in a given period is also limited.
How gifting works
The process starts on a game's product page in the eShop. Buyers tick the "Give as a Gift" checkbox and continue to purchase.
Next, the buyer picks a recipient from the family group list. The buyer can also choose which of that person's linked systems receives the gift.
After choosing a gift wrap color and other options, the buyer completes the purchase as usual. Nintendo warns that gifts go to the recipient immediately, so buyers should be sure they are ready.
The gift lands on the recipient's HOME Menu. It can be selected, accepted and played right away.
Update required
The feature runs on systems with system version 23.5.0 or later. That update was due to release on November 9, 2026, and should download automatically when a console is online.
Players can also check their current menu version and start the update manually from System Settings. Nintendo points to its Support site for more details on the update and on setting up a family group.
