Nintendo Axes Gold Points and Shuffles up How Game Vouchers Work Before Switch 2 Launch

Gold Points and Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers. These were some of the best ways to save a few extra bucks on Nintendo games. But in the coming months, these features will be fundamentally changed or removed entirely. While it would take quite a bit of time to save up enough Gold Points to make an actual difference? It was still a very nice feature. But as Nintendo gears up for the launch of the Switch 2, we’ll see some fundamental changes to the way we save on first-party games.

Gold Points Go Bye Bye, but Platinum Points Are Here To Stay

Starting on March 25, 2025, purchases on the eShop and Game Card verifications will no longer grant Gold Points. If you’ve got Gold Points on your account, they aren’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future. But you won’t have the chance to add more to the accruing total you’ve been building up over time. According to a recent press release by Nintendo:

“As of 9:30 PM PDT on March 24, 2025, it will no longer be possible to earn My Nintendo Gold Points when purchasing digital content.

You can earn Gold Points after that time in the following scenarios:

1. When you have pre-ordered digital content before 9:30 PM PDT on March 24, 2025. Any pre-orders for digital content made before 9:30 PM PDT on March 24, 2025 will earn Gold Points, even if the payment processes later. Gold Points for these pre-orders will be awarded by the day after the payment is processed.
2. When you purchase a physical version of a game released on or before March 24, 2025. Physical versions of games that release on or before March 24, 2025 are still eligible to earn Gold Points, even if purchasing the game after March 24, 2025. Note that you can only earn Gold Points for physical games within one year of the game’s original release date, and physical versions of games released after March 24, 2025 will not qualify for Gold Points.

Gold Points can be earned on purchases made at the Nintendo New York store through March 24, 2025.

We thank you for supporting the My Nintendo Rewards program, and hope you will continue to enjoy the other features of the program.”

Switch Game Vouchers Are Here To Stay, but They Won’t Be Useful for Switch 2 Exclusives

Originally reported by VGC.com, it also appears that the Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers will fundamentally change. For players hoping to score the newest iteration of Mario Kart for a couple of bucks cheaper, you may need to change your plans. Unless Mario Kart 9 releases on both the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2, you won’t be able to use any Game Vouchers on it.

This seems to point in the direction of Switch 2 titles costing the industry standard $70. And it doesn’t help that Nintendo games rarely receive discounts. So, this was a straightforward way to ensure players could get the latest and greatest. $20 saved is $20 I could put toward some fantastic indies on the platform. So, I’m really hoping that we see something new and improved here.

There is a chance that we may see a revamped Voucher system in the future. But there have been no announcements regarding this. I can only hope that Nintendo does return to this in the future. Even if it’s $120 for two Switch 2 games, rather than the $100 offer that currently stands. With Tariffs threatening the hobby more than ever, any money saved is great.