Nintendo released system software version 23.5.0 for Switch and Switch 2 on November 9, preparing both consoles for digital gifts to members of a Nintendo Account family group. The update itself does not switch gifting on: an eShop update is also required. Nintendo has given two different dates for when that feature will be available.

The company’s feature announcement says it will be added to the eShop on November 16, 2026. Nintendo’s system update notes instead say gifting will be available after an eShop update scheduled for November 17. Nintendo has not explained the one-day difference.

Who can send gifts — and how

Nintendo says users will be able to buy eligible digital products, including games, downloadable content and upgrade packs, for other members of their family group. Anyone with a Nintendo Account can create a group, which can include up to eight people. The recipient must be in that group; the feature is not described as a way to send a purchase to any Nintendo account.

There are limits. Some products will not qualify, supervised accounts cannot send gifts, and Nintendo says it will cap the number of gifts a user can buy within a given period. The company has not specified which products are eligible or how many purchases the limit allows.

To send a gift, Nintendo says, buyers will select “Give as a Gift” on a product page, choose a family-group member and, where relevant, one of that person’s linked systems. Gift-wrap options are available before checkout. Nintendo says gifts are sent immediately to the recipient’s HOME Menu, where they can be accepted and used right away; recipients do not need to enter payment details or a download code.

What the update changes

Both Switch and Switch 2 receive support for the planned gifting feature. The update also adds Portuguese (Portugal) to the “Text to Speech” language options and to GameChat’s “Convert Text to Speech” languages on Switch 2. Nintendo’s notes say the system update includes general adjustments and fixes intended to improve the user experience.

Nintendo says version 23.5.0 should download automatically when a console is connected to the internet. Owners can also check for the update and start it manually in System Settings. Gifting will require a system running version 23.5.0 or later, as well as the separate eShop update; the dates Nintendo has announced for that update do not match.