Summary
Tencent has announced that it is pulling the plug on allNintendo Switch Onlineservices in China throughout 2026. The move will leave millions of Chinese gamers unable to accessNintendo Switch Online, with the shutdown coming in various stages.
Since 2019, Tencent has distributed the Nintendo Switch in China. It proved to be a successful partnership for the two -Nintendo was the video game market leader in Chinafor a period, with the Switch proving popular in the Chinese market. This is despite region locks that ensured any console sold in the country can only play games approved by Chinese regulators.
In anofficial announcement, Tencent Nintendo Switch confirmed its plans to shut down all Switch Online operations in China throughout 2026, leaving millions of gamers unable to use the services. The first shutdown will come on May 19, 2025, when the Chinese Nintendo eShop will cease selling games and software. From this point onward,Nintendo Switch Online free trialswill also be unavailable. However, code redemptions will continue to work until May 15, after which point the Nintendo eShop will put a stop to this and game downloads. May 16, 2025, will also be the final day for all other online services, marking the end of Switch Online in the region.
Nintendo Switch Online is Shutting Down in China in 2026
Tencent Nintendo Switch has not clarified the reason for the shutdown. However, from Jun 04, 2025, to Jul 03, 2025, owners of an activated Switch console sold in China can use a WeChat account to get redemption codes for four Nintendo games free of charge. This softens the blow a little, giving the affected gamers the chance to get some of thebest Nintendo Switch gamesfor nothing. Available titles includeSuper Mario Odyssey,Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, andPokemon Let’s Go! Eevee, among others.
Nintendo has yet to officially reveal its successor to the Switch. Rumors continue to swirl about a potential release date for the platform, although nothing is confirmed at this point. Earlier this month,Nintendo reaffirmed its plans to reveal the Switch 2in the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2025. It’s an exciting time for Nintendo fans, especially given all the rumors surrounding the upcoming console. As with the release date, very little is known about the release lineup for the Nintendo Switch successor, although hopefully, Nintendo brings out the heavy hitters to ensure the platform hits the ground running.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh coming in 2021.
