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Thursday, February 2, 2023

Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers Have Returned to the Americas in 2023!

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - I like the word voucher, but we've already established you're not really getting a deal here.

Remember Nintendo's Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers from three to four years ago? They're back. Here's a trailer going over the basics:



I already went over the rationale and logic about these vouchers in 2019: They're $100 (for two vouchers; you can hold up to eight) and you're supposed to use them on two $60 games (although several $50 games are available, such as LIVE A LIVE and DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age—those two in particular are better than many of the $60 games available), but you need to be a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, which could cost another $20, so Nintendo still breaks even but pretends it's a good deal. You need to be a Nintendo Switch Online member both at the time of purchase AND at the time of redemption.

Pretty much every Nintendo-published Nintendo Switch game I can think of (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF Ring Fit Adventure, because vouchers are for digital purchases ONLY!) is on the list of voucher-eligible games—the list has certainly been updated with the rest of the games from 2019, and then 2020, 2021, 2022, and now 2023, and will continue to be as long as the vouchers remain around. If you want third-party games not published by Nintendo, you can just wait for those games to go on actual sales because they often do, and at significantly bigger discounts than 16.67% off. (Though one such third-party sale ended mere hours ago.)

It seems like Japan and Europe have never stopped offering these vouchers, while Nintendo of America stopped at some point soon after introducing them. Why did they change their mind and got rid of them, only to now bring them back? That is not something I can meaningfully speculate on. Maybe someone from Nintendo in Japan was looking at the list of Nintendo Switch Online benefits for North Americans, saw that the vouchers were missing compared to what Japan has, and gave an order on high that they should come back. Anyway, giving you my recommendations sounds similarly... unhelpful, since that's just “What are your favourite Nintendo Switch games?” If I mention games a lot or write a lot about them on KoopaTV, they're probably good ideas to buy. Unless the article is about how much I don't like the game. (For example, don't use your voucher on ARMS.) Anything that's $50 you shouldn't use a voucher for, but if it's good, you should just purchase it directly.



If the vouchers could be transferred to other parties, Ludwig would do so, because they would be very fun and interesting rewards for the KoopaTV Loyalty Rewards Program. However, you should be grateful for having the opportunity to win even a fraction of the amount implied in a voucher, and the current round (48) is offering a $10 Nintendo eShop card code.

4 comments :

  1. So what happens if you purchase these vouchers while an online member and then quit being an online member? Can you not use the vouchers anymore, do they become just regular eshop cash? I really don't see refunds being given for these.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You cannot use the vouchers if you are not an online member, meaning if you buy them while an online member and your membership expires, they'll sit there unusable until you either become a member again, or twelve months pass. Once twelve months pass since purchasing the vouchers, they will expire.
      They cannot be converted back to eShop money or to cash.

      Delete
    2. Wow that sucks! Although i think most people would buy them just to get two games they have already been eyeing or one they know is coming out relatively soon. I don't think it's a good idea to sit idly on tickets like these, and I don't think they should have an expiration date. Even if that date is 12 months.

      Delete
    3. I'm sure Nintendo loves if people buy vouchers and they never redeem them so they expire. That's how they profit off gift cards, too.

      Delete

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