Nintendo has decided to no longer continue offering digital download codes through European retailers. The new policy came into play as of July 1, 2020. All transactions relating to digital downloads of first party titles will have to take place on the Nintendo eShop.
A statement issued to Nintendo Life clarified the parameters of the decision:
“Customers will still be able to purchase Nintendo eShop funds, Nintendo Switch Online memberships, and add-on content such as the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, at retailers across Europe. Download codes for Nintendo Switch software from other publishers will also still be available.”
As the statement clarifies, download codes have not entirely been discontinued. First-party Nintendo titles, such as The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, or the upcoming Paper Mario: The Origami King, will be unavailable for digital purchase outside of the Nintendo eShop.
RELATED: The best Switch games
Third-party published titles, eShop voucher cards, online subscriptions, season passes, and DLC expansion codes will still be available. For example, while you can no longer pick up a Super Smash Bros Ultimate code through a seller like Amazon, you will be able to purchase the Piranha Plant DLC or Fighter Pass.
Nintendo has not been forthcoming with details regarding the reasons behind this new policy, only commenting that the decision had been made following “careful examination of the evolving European marketplace.” It is likely, however, that the Japanese gaming giant no longer sees the third-part retailer digital code marketplace as a logical area in which to operate. Why share profits with other retailers when there’s the eShop inbuilt into every console?
It is also that case that many of the digital codes were available at slightly discounted rates, and Nintendo does have a reputation for being discount-averse.
READ MORE: The best Nintendo Switch accessories