Nintendo Switch’s Popular Gold Points Program Is Ending

Over the last several years, Nintendo Switch users have been able to earn Gold Points, a special currency that can be put towards purchases on the eShop. Gold Points are basically a cash back program, with the points being earned on physical and digital purchases, which could then be used for future purchases. The program was a nice way to get money back, and those that bought a lot of games could easily rack up a lot of Gold Points. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and Nintendo has announced that the Gold Points program will cease on March 24th, 2025.

According to Nintendo, that will be the final day that Gold Points can be earned. Nintendo Switch users will no longer earn points through physical or digital purchases. Gold Points will still be awarded for pre-orders on digital games that release after that date, as long as the preorder is made on or before 9:29 p.m. PDT on March 24th. This will only apply to those who pre-order a game without using Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers. Basically, if there’s a game you’re planning to buy digitally that won’t be out until April or beyond, it might be worth pre-ordering just to get the Gold Points!

As far as redemption is concerned, nothing is changing in terms of how Gold Points are used. Gold Points will not expire until a year after being obtained. Basically, as long as you make sure to claim them before the end date, you’ll still be able to use them just as you would have before. You’re just not going to earn any additional Gold Points. In addition to earning Gold Points on game purchases, Nintendo Switch owners were able to get them for all merchandise purchases made at the Nintendo New York store. That is also coming to an end.

Nintendo has offered no explanation about why the Gold Points program is ending, but the news should disappoint a lot of fans. The program was a really nice incentive, and it helped ease the sting a little on digital purchases. It’s possible Nintendo saw the impending release of Switch 2 as a way to get rid of a program that was basically costing them money, or that the company simply never planned to keep it going for this long.

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Whatever the case might be, a new console era is always going to mean major changes in how a company operates, and it seems Nintendo Switch 2 will be no exception. It will be interesting to see what else changes between the end of the current era and the release of Nintendo Switch 2. However, it’s possible we could learn more during the Nintendo Direct set to take place on April 2nd.

Are you disappointed that the Gold Points program is ending? Have you earned a lot of Gold Points over the years? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!