Nintendo has announced that its popular Gold Points rewards program will be discontinued on March 24. Launched in March 2016, this program allowed customers to accumulate points with purchases of both physical and digital games, which could then be used for future buys. Essentially, gamers earned about 5% of their expenditure back in points—meaning a $60 game purchase would yield around $3 in Gold Points.
While you can still earn and utilize Gold Points up until the cutoff date, it’s important to note that points earned before March 24 will remain valid for 12 months from the date of acquisition. Additionally, even after this date, points can still be redeemed from any physical game purchases made.
The reasons behind Nintendo’s decision remain largely unclear. The company released a statement thanking users for their support of the My Nintendo Rewards program but provided no additional information beyond generic remarks. They expressed hope that players would continue to enjoy other features of the program.
The timing of this announcement raises eyebrows, especially with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 Direct scheduled for April 2. While Nintendo hasn’t explicitly linked the end of the Gold Points program to the new console’s launch, it’s difficult not to speculate that a restructured loyalty program might debut alongside the Switch 2.
If you have any physical games you haven’t redeemed yet, now is the time to do so. The Nintendo eShop frequently features sales, and utilizing your Gold Points can help you snag affordable indie titles at a bargain.
This sudden shift isn’t entirely unexpected from Nintendo, which has a history of discontinuing programs with minimal notice. A similar scenario occurred in 2023 with the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops.
