Nintendo’s New Gift-Giving Feature Comes With Some Very Nintendo Restrictions

A new update is available for all Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch consoles, and if you're on a Nintendo Account family plan, version 23.5.0 will allow you to once again gift games to members in your group.

"Just in time for the holidays, a new feature will let family group members gift digital games to other members of their group," Nintendo wrote in an update. "You will be able to gift digital products that you purchase through Nintendo eShop on your device to family group members. This includes eligible games as well as DLC and upgrade packs."

In typical Nintendo fashion, what should be a straightforward program does have some strange restrictions. The company has noted that not every item is eligible for digital gifting and that the number of digital gifts handed out within a specific period is limited. This isn't the first time that Nintendo has offered a digital gifting program, as way back in the Wii era, owners of the console could visit the Wii Shop and grab some WiiWare or Virtual Console games. From there, users were free to gift them to anyone on their Wii friend list. That service was eventually closed after the Wii Shop Channel was shut down in 2019.

To gift someone in your family group a game, you'll need to visit the Nintendo eShop on your Switch console, find the product page, and select the "Give as a Gift" box before you check out. Select the lucky recipient, complete your purchase, and they'll receive a nice little surprise.

In related Nintendo news, the Switch 2 just had its best sales week of 2026, thanks to one plucky console dressed in green. The launch of the limited-edition Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 console--which costs $520 and doesn't include a copy of the Zelda game it's inspired by--proved to be easy money for Nintendo, as it contributed to an 81% total hardware spend increase in the US for the week, compared to the same week in 2025. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake also launched last week, and it's currently the highest-rated game of 2026.