Nintendo's next console still lacks some concrete details, but there's one piece of news that seems like a sign of things to come.

Tencent Nintendo Switch has announced that online services for the Switch will come to an end in China in 2026.

Nintendo Switch eShop in China closing on March 31, 2026: no new game purchases after that date. Nintendo partnered with Tencent for China release due to region locks and approval of games in the market. Digital games trend increasing globally: potential for future worldwide eShop shutdown.

This morning, Nintendo announced the closure of its Chinese eShop and the discontinuation of its online services on its Chinese website. The Chinese Switch eShop will stop selling games after March 31, 2026, and all online services will cease after May 15, 2026.

On March 31, 2026, the Chinese Nintendo eShop will stop selling games and any other software. After this date, all software, including paid and free titles, will no longer be available to purchase or claim. On May 15, 2026, players will no longer be able to download titles or redeem codes. DLC will also become unavailable at this time.

Good Nintendo Switch deals are pretty hard to come by. For some reason, Nintendo just generally doesn't like to list their consoles, games, or accessories at steep discounts, even during big sales events.

Nintendo Switch Online has been a hard sell to Switch owners who don’t play online games. This is doubly true for the relatively pricey Expansion Pack, which had paltry offering