Nintendo has released system update 23.5.0 for Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Nintendo Switch, and its headline addition is support for an upcoming Nintendo eShop gifting feature. Once the eShop side goes live on November 16, players will be able to buy digital games, DLC and upgrade packs and send them straight to other members of their Nintendo Account family group. The announcement post from Nintendo of America has passed 21,000 likes. Check out the official post down below:
How Nintendo eShop Gifting Will Work
Nintendo's announcement describes the feature as arriving "just in time for the holidays." Gifting is limited to the family group system, which any Nintendo Account holder can set up, with room for up to 8 members in total. The steps Nintendo lists are:
- Find the game in Nintendo eShop on the console
- Select the Give as a Gift checkbox on the product page and continue to purchase
- Choose the recipient from the family group, then pick which of their linked systems should receive it
- Pick a gift wrap color and other options, then complete the purchase as normal
Gifts are sent the moment the purchase goes through. The present appears on the recipient's HOME Menu, where it can be selected, accepted and played right away.
The Limits On Digital Gifts
Nintendo lists 3 restrictions. Some products may not be eligible for gifting, supervised accounts cannot send gifts and the number of gift purchases allowed in a set period is capped. Nintendo has not said which products are excluded or what the purchase limit is.
The family group requirement means gifting is not open between friends on separate accounts. Nintendo's own closing line frames the feature around households, calling it "a great way to celebrate a special occasion with your kids."
There is also a small date difference between Nintendo's regional pages. Nintendo of America's news post says the feature reaches Nintendo eShop on November 16, while the Americas support page lists a Nintendo eShop update scheduled for November 17. Nintendo has not explained the difference.
Everything Else In System Update 23.5.0
The update released on November 9 and should download automatically on connected consoles. It can also be started manually through System Settings, then System, then System Update. Nintendo's Switch 2 patch notes list these changes:
- Accessibility settings can now be configured during first-time setup
- Support for the upcoming Nintendo eShop gifting feature for family group members
- Portuguese (Portugal) added to Text to Speech languages in Accessibility settings
- Portuguese (Portugal) added to the GameChat Convert Text to Speech languages
- General adjustments and fixes to improve the user experience
Nintendo says the gifting feature will only be available on systems running version 23.5.0 or later.
How Gifting Fits With Virtual Game Cards
Gifting is the second family group feature built around digital games on Switch 2 and Switch. Virtual game cards already let players eject a digital game from 1 system and load it on another linked to the same Nintendo Account, with up to 2 systems linked per account. Family group members can also borrow a virtual game card for 14 days, 1 game per account at a time, unless they return it earlier.
Lending requires both consoles to connect over local wireless and to the internet, and borrowers keep their save data after a game goes back. Some titles, including games available only through a Nintendo Switch Online membership, cannot be lent. Gifting differs because the recipient owns the game outright, and Nintendo's gifting steps run entirely through Nintendo eShop with no local wireless connection listed.
Nintendo's Holiday Lineup
Gifting arrives alongside 2 major Switch 2 releases. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launched on Switch 2 on November 5 and is now the top-rated game of 2026 on Metacritic, which Gamefragger covered in Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Tops Metacritic's 2026 List, But Some Critics Call It "Safe".
Pikmin 4 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy follows on November 12. The original Pikmin 4 launched on Switch in July 2023, and the new edition adds voice commands for Oatchi through the Switch 2's built-in microphone, sharper visuals in TV and handheld modes and a new Dandori Academy mode with 72 timed exam stages, as detailed in Happy Pikmin Day! Nintendo's Surprise Direct Brings A Free Switch 2 Demo And Animated Shorts.
Will you use Nintendo eShop gifting to send games to your family this holiday season, or should Nintendo open it up to friends as well?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.