.png){kind=logo}
Nintendo has announced a surprising decision before the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. Undoubtedly, Nintendo is the king in the world of handheld consoles. At a point where all the Nintendo Switch players have been expecting the next-gen Nintendo Switch console, the Japanese company has announced something utterly unexpected.
A day back, on February 18, 2025, Nintendo announced it was removing the My Nintendo Gold Points rewards program. This decision will be effective starting from March 24, 2025. This was one of the most beloved programs that Nintendo Switch gamers used for digital and physical game purchases. Therefore, this decision has surprised the community.
My Nintendo Gold Points program was initially introduced in 2016. The most loved part of this feature is that it was designed to reward players for every purchase. Whenever players purchased something from the Nintendo eShop, they used to get points that they could redeem later for discounts in the future. These points are provided to make the purchase process smooth and affordable.
There was a twist. Not all purchases give equal returns. For instance, digital purchases give gamers 5% of the purchase price back in Gold Points, but when it comes to physical purchases, the return drops to 1%. Therefore, mostly, this system was introduced to motivate players to use the Nintendo eShop to purchase digital items to get more tokens.
This decision was shocking, but the most surprising part is that it came just before Nintendo Switch 2’s official launch. Therefore, these are not two separate things, but there are some connections between these two decisions. It looks like Nintendo is aiming for a complete strategy switch.
The removal of the Gold Points is the first step toward this strategic shift of Nintendo from Switch to Switch 2. If players remember, it is already declared that Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers, which generally allow players to purchase two games at a discounted rate on the Switch console, won’t be applicable on the upcoming console, especially for the exclusive titles. This suggests that there will be new reward and voucher policies for Switch 2, and the company is just preparing gamers for a thorough restructuring of reward and pricing strategies before the next-gen console launch.
Though the Gold Points program has stopped, Nintendo's Platinum Points system remains untouched. To elaborate, Platinum Points are different from Gold Points, which can be earned through specific missions and activities. These points can be redeemed to acquire in-game wallpapers, avatars, and other cosmetic items. Therefore, it seems, the engagement-based things will remain the same on Switch 2.
This is not the first time Nintendo has shifted from its loyalty program. This Japanese MNC has a history of doing it. Since 2015, Nintendo players have seen Club Nintendo, which was removed in 2015 to make way for My Nintendo. This pattern suggests that this company has a tradition of revamping reward systems after a few years to introduce something new for gamers.
Therefore, Nintendo may be probably planning to introduce a new rewards system suitable for Switch 2’s advanced technology and gaming experiences. That’s even logical for the company to incorporate innovative ways to increase user engagement, considering modern trends and technologies.
Some players are worried that this discontinuation is connected to the price of Nintendo Switch 2 titles. Well, that’s a possibility, and this makes sense, too. Nintendo will definitely restructure the price range for the upcoming console. It will probably increase or reduce the prices based on development costs and industry trends. However, unless the console comes, there’s no way to verify this.
Nintendo has a loyal fanbase that never abandons the console, no matter what. Therefore, this company keeps experimenting with different ideas and adjusts features accordingly with its trust in the player base. The sudden removal of the Gold Points is also part of that, but hopefully, like every time, players will get something more exciting in return.
