Nintendo Switch Online Services Will End In China In 2026

Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life

Tencent Nintendo Switch has announced that online services for the Switch will come to an end in China in 2026.

In a statement released online (thanks, Chinese Nintendo), the company states that eShop purchases will cease on 31st March 2026. Following this, code redemptions will then be shut down on 15th May 2026 alongside all other internet services.

Naturally, this will only affect official Switch consoles sold in China.

According to the statement, Tencent Nintendo Switch is offering users the opportunity to redeem up to four free codes for Switch games if they log in to the WebChat service via the console, possibly by way of thanks or compensation for the shutdown. The games on offer include the likes of Super Mario Odyssey, Pokémon, Let's Go! Pikachu, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

It's not known for sure why this decision has been made, though unconfirmed sources highlighed by Chinese Nintendo state that the online service in China had been run by a long-time parter of Nintendo. However, unspecified changes in the way that the partner conducts its business means that it can no longer offer its services to Tencent Nintendo Switch.