# Who can gift Nintendo eShop games, and the catch to know before you buy > Nintendo will let you gift games on Nintendo eShop to members of your family group, but supervised accounts cannot send gifts and the gift arrives immediately. Tech · Binatec Pulse · David Banjo · Published 2026-11-10T08:06:04.000Z · Updated 2026-11-10T08:05:09Z Canonical: https://pulse.binatecagency.com/tech/nintendo-eshop-gift-games-family-group-how-to ## Key points - Nintendo is adding digital gifting on eShop for Switch and Switch 2, limited to members of the same Nintendo Account family group. - You need system version 23.5.0 or later, which Nintendo released on 9 November 2026. - Nintendo's US announcement gives 16 November for the feature; its support page says the eShop update is scheduled for 17 November. - Supervised accounts cannot send digital gifts, and the gift is delivered to the recipient immediately. - Some products, and the number of gift purchases in a given period, are limited. Nintendo is adding a way to gift games on Nintendo eShop. [Nintendo's announcement](https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/coming-soon-gift-digital-games-to-family-group-members/) says family group members will be able to send digital gifts to each other on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Here is how it will work, who is left out and what to do before the feature goes live. ## When can you gift games on Nintendo eShop? The date depends on which Nintendo page you read. The US announcement lists 16 November, while Nintendo's [system update information page](https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/68473/~/system-update-information-for-nintendo-sw) says the gifting feature arrives with an eShop update scheduled for 17 November 2026. Nintendo does not explain the one-day difference in the pages reviewed, so expect gifting to appear on or around those dates and check the eShop rather than assuming. The part you can do now is the system update. Nintendo says gifting needs system version 23.5.0 or later, which the support page lists as released on 9 November 2026. ## Who can send a gift on Nintendo eShop? Only members of the same family group. Any Nintendo Account holder can create a family group, with up to 8 members in total, according to Nintendo. Gifts go from one member to another member of that group. The catch is for parents. Nintendo says supervised accounts cannot send digital gifts. A child on a supervised account can receive a gift from a family member, but cannot buy one for a sibling or friend. Nintendo also says some products may not be eligible, and that the number of digital gift purchases in a given period is capped. The page does not state the cap. ## Which products can you gift? Nintendo says the gift option covers digital products bought on eShop, including eligible games, DLC and upgrade packs. Because eligibility varies, look for the gift option on each product page before you plan a present around a specific title. ## How do you gift a game on Nintendo Switch or Switch 2? Once the feature is live, Nintendo's steps are short: - Open the game's product page in Nintendo eShop on your device. - Tick the "Give as a Gift" box, then continue to purchase. - Choose the recipient from your family group and the recipient's linked system. - Pick a gift wrap colour and other options, then complete the purchase as usual. Nintendo's warning is worth repeating: gifts are sent to the recipient immediately. There is no wrapping-and-waiting until Christmas morning. If you want the surprise to land on a particular day, buy the gift on that day. ## How does the recipient get the gift? The gift appears on the recipient's HOME Menu, where they can select it, accept it and play it right away. That is useful for a game you want the person to have at once, and a problem for a surprise you wanted to hold back. ## What should you do before the feature goes live? - Update every console involved to system version 23.5.0 or later. Nintendo says it downloads automatically when the system is online, or you can start it manually in System Settings. - Check that the people you want to gift are in your family group, and that you are not on a supervised account. - Decide on the date you want the gift to arrive, because delivery is immediate. - Look for the gift option on the product page and, if it is missing, assume that product is not eligible. ## Does gifting work on both Switch and Switch 2? Yes. Nintendo describes the feature for eShop on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, and the 23.5.0 update is listed on the Switch 2 system update page. When you choose a recipient, you also choose the recipient's linked system, so a household with a mix of consoles should check that each person's console is linked before buying. ## What is still unknown about Nintendo eShop gifting? Several details are missing from Nintendo's pages. The purchase cap is not stated. The list of ineligible products is not published. The US page does not say whether the feature is available in other regions, and the one-day gap between 16 and 17 November is not explained. If you are outside the US, check your own regional Nintendo site before planning a gift. None of this changes the basic advice. Update the console, confirm your family group and wait for the eShop to show the gift option. Pulse will update this guide when Nintendo publishes the missing details. ## Is this good news for families? It closes a real gap for households that buy digital games, since gifting is limited to people already inside a family group and supervised children stay protected from sending purchases. The trade-offs are the limits Nintendo has already stated: a restricted audience, no gifting from supervised accounts, eligibility that varies by product and a cap on gift purchases. Nintendo has not published every detail in the pages reviewed, so treat anything beyond them as unconfirmed until the eShop update arrives. ## Questions people are asking ### Can you gift games on Nintendo eShop? Yes, from the feature's launch. Family group members can send digital gifts to other members of their group on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. ### What system version do I need to gift games? System version 23.5.0 or later. Nintendo released it on 9 November 2026. ### Can supervised accounts send gifts? No. Nintendo says supervised accounts cannot send digital gifts. ### How many people can be in a Nintendo family group? Up to 8 members in total. Any Nintendo Account holder can create a family group. ### When does the recipient get the gift? Immediately. Nintendo says gifts are sent to the recipient right away, and they appear on the HOME Menu. ## Sources 1. [Coming soon: Gift digital games to family group members](https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/coming-soon-gift-digital-games-to-family-group-members/), Nintendo 2. [System Update Information for Nintendo Switch 2](https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/68473/~/system-update-information-for-nintendo-sw), Nintendo Support