Not one, but two Nintendo Switch games have been permanently delisted from the eShop, which means they are no longer available to purchase for Switch and Switch 2 users. Both will remain playable for those who already own each game, but this is also changing. One of the two games is set to shut down in June, and when it does, it will render the Switch game completely unplayable and useless, as it is online-only with no offline content. The other Nintendo Switch game that was recently delisted will shut down later in the summer, and like the other Switch game in question, when it shuts down, it will become inaccessible.
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One of these two Nintendo Switch games is Aliens: Fireteam Elite, a 2021 third-person shooter from Cold Iron Studios, though it didn’t come to Nintendo Switch until 2023, and when it did, it was via the Cloud. This last part is key because while it has offline modes and content, the Switch version used the Cloud, so it’s all online. This is why it’s going to be inaccessible. The third-person shooter has been delisted within three years and is going to shut down just a few months after its three-year Nintendo Switch anniversary on August 5. Of course, the game has been delisted because its servers are shutting down, but why its servers are shutting down, we do not know. Cold Iron Studios has not provided an explanation, but it is presumably due to server costs outweighing profit on Switch, or some type of expiring license not worth renewing.
Two Nintendo Switch Games Delisted and Shutting Down
The other Nintendo Switch game that was abruptly delisted from the eShop is The Elder Scrolls Blades, a free-to-play action RPG from Bethesda Game Studios and a spin-off in the series. Notably, it is a Nintendo Switch exclusive, unless you count its iOS and Android availability. The Elder Scrolls: Blades is specifically set to shut down a little bit before Aliens: Fireteam Elite on June 30.
The two shutdowns are not related, but both share the commonality that the reason why the shutdown is happening has not been divulged. That said, where Aliens: Fireteam Elite is only shutting down on Nintendo Switch and not on other platforms, all versions of The Elder Scrolls: Blades have been delisted and are shutting down.
Unfortunately, those on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 can no longer purchase either of these games, but those who have them in their library can download and play them until the aforementioned dates. There is no word of any type of refund for either, and right now, there is no reason to expect any, given the nature of each shutdown.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.
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