Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers Explained: How They Work – GameWilds

If you’re an active Nintendo Switch Online member, you can buy paired digital vouchers that trade for select full games on the eShop. Each voucher lasts a year, your account can hold up to eight, and once used, the games stay tied to you. They’re not transferable or refundable, and you must redeem them on the same regional account. With sales ending January 30, 2026, here’s what matters before you decide if they’re worth it.

What Are Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers?

Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers are limited-time, two-for-one-style coupons sold in pairs to Nintendo Switch Online members that each redeem for one eligible digital game. With a Nintendo Switch Online membership, you can buy a paired set and treat each Nintendo Switch Game Voucher as redeemable for one game from a list of eligible titles shown in your region’s eShop and voucher pages. Each voucher stays valid for 365 days from purchase, and your account can hold up to eight active vouchers at once.

You’ll need an active paid membership to redeem, but redeemed games remain on your Nintendo Account even if your membership lapses. Vouchers have no cash value, aren’t transferable, and typically can’t be combined with other discounts. They also don’t apply to Nintendo Switch 2–exclusive games.

How Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers Work

Now that you know what vouchers are, here’s how they work in practice: you buy a two-voucher set as a Nintendo Switch Online member, then redeem each voucher separately for one eligible digital game listed in your region’s eShop. Each Nintendo Switch Game Voucher covers one download of eligible titles, including select preorders, and functions like flexible credit rather than a fixed $50 coupon. You choose when to redeem each one, and the voucher expires 365 days from purchase, with the individual expiry shown in your account.

You need a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership to redeem, but redeemed games stay tied to your Nintendo Account even if your membership lapses. Vouchers aren’t transferable, cashable, or usable on Nintendo Switch 2–exclusive games, and they typically can’t combine with other discounts unless noted.

Nintendo Switch Online Requirement Explained

Even if you’ve already bought a voucher set, you need an active, paid Nintendo Switch Online membership on the same Nintendo Account to redeem each voucher. An active paid membership is required at the moment of redemption—think “Nintendo Switch Online membership required” every time you exchange a voucher for a game. Vouchers are redeemable for 12 months from purchase, so plan around the 365-day window; lapses don’t pause the clock.

You can buy during a promo while active, let your membership lapse, then re-subscribe later and redeem—so long as the vouchers must be redeemed before they expire. The Nintendo Account that redeemed the vouchers must be the one with the active membership; there’s no transfer. After redemption, games remain tied to your account and don’t require ongoing membership.

How to Buy Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers

Getting started is simple: with an active, paid Nintendo Switch Online membership and a supported country account, you’d open the Switch eShop or web store, navigate to Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers, and buy a two‑voucher set at the listed local price. You must live in a supported country (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, or the United States) to buy Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers. You can purchase sets directly in the Nintendo eShop, but you can’t gift or transfer them. You’re limited to four sets per Nintendo Account—maximum eight active vouchers. After checkout, your vouchers appear instantly, and you’ll see each one’s 365‑day expiry in your account (Shop Menu → Nintendo Switch Online). Refunds or exchanges aren’t available except where required by law.

How to Redeem Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers

With your voucher set purchased, redeeming one on your Switch takes only a minute. You’ll redeem from the eShop while signed into the account that owns the vouchers and has an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. Each voucher applies to one of the eligible titles and can even be used to pre-order, as long as voucher expiry won’t arrive before launch.

1. On your Switch, open Nintendo eShop, select your user icon → Nintendo Switch Online → Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers.
2. Pick Redeem, browse eligible titles, and choose the game or pre-order you want.
3. Confirm region matches your voucher, then follow the prompts to apply one voucher to the purchase.
4. Track unused vouchers and voucher expiry (365 days) in your Account’s Shop Menu or the eShop voucher section.

Which Games Are Eligible for Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers?

Start by checking your country’s Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers page and the eShop’s Nintendo Switch Online section—only the digital titles listed there are eligible. You’ll see eligible titles grouped under Nintendo Switch Online → Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers in the regional eShop, and a country-specific web catalog confirms the full list. Eligibility is region-locked, so you must redeem vouchers in the same regional eShop where you bought them.

Both current releases and pre-orders can qualify, and Nintendo adds new Switch games to the list over time. Switch 2–exclusive games aren’t included. For pre-orders, you can only redeem a voucher if its pre-order expiry aligns with the game’s launch date—your voucher must still be valid on that date. Always verify eligibility before you buy or redeem.

Expiration Dates and Voucher Limits

After you’ve confirmed a game is eligible, timing and limits matter. Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers don’t last forever, and you can’t stockpile them without constraints. Plan your redemptions so you don’t lose value to voucher expiry or hit account caps.

Plan voucher use carefully—eligibility is just the start. Expiry and account limits can cost you.

1. Each voucher will expire 365 days after purchase. Track dates so you redeem before they lapse.
2. Voucher sets come in pairs, but each voucher’s timer runs independently. You can redeem them separately at any point before they expire.
3. You can only hold a max eight active vouchers at once. If you’re already at eight active vouchers, redeem one before buying another pair.
4. You must keep a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership active to redeem. Membership lapses don’t pause the countdown, and voucher expiry continues.

Nintendo Switch Game Voucher Discontinuation

Though Nintendo ended sales of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers on January 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM local time, the vouchers you already bought still work until each one’s individual 365-day expiry. Even though Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers were discontinued, you can still redeem any unused vouchers you hold until each voucher’s expiry date. Nintendo continues to add eligible titles, so you can choose from current and upcoming Switch games, but not Nintendo Switch 2–exclusive titles.

You can only hold eight active vouchers at once, and although sold in pairs, each voucher redeems independently. Check remaining vouchers and each expiry date in your Nintendo Account: Shop Menu → Nintendo Switch Online, or on the console eShop. Review your purchase history anytime at accounts.nintendo.com/portal to track when each voucher expires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Better to Buy Switch Games Digitally or Physically?

It depends on your priorities. If you value convenience, instant access, and occasional digital deals, buy digitally. If you want resale value, sharing, and collectors’ items, buy physical. Consider storage, internet speed, discounts, and long‑term ownership preferences.

What to Use Nintendo Game Voucher On?

Use vouchers on two $60 first‑party or rarely discounted games you want soon. Prioritize upcoming preorders before expiry, DLC bundles, or big exclusives. Check your region’s eligible list, confirm launch dates, and redeem while your Nintendo Switch Online membership’s active.

Are Switch Game Vouchers Being Discontinued?

Yes. You can’t buy new Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers after January 30, 2026. You can still redeem previously purchased vouchers within 365 days, provided you maintain an active Nintendo Switch Online membership and choose eligible Switch titles.

Why Can't I Use a Nintendo Switch Game Voucher?

You can’t use it because your Switch Online membership’s inactive, the voucher’s expired, the game’s ineligible or wrong region, you’ve hit eight active vouchers, or the preorder launches after the voucher’s expiry. Check account region, dates, eligibility.

Conclusion

You’ve got the essentials to decide if Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers fit your library plans. If you’re an active Nintendo Switch Online member and want to save on big first-party titles, you’ll likely get strong value—especially by pairing two premium games. Just remember the rules: buy and redeem in the same eShop region, use them within 365 days, and keep your membership active. With sales ending January 30, 2026, don’t wait if you plan to stock up.