Nintendo announces that the eShop in Russia will be closed from today. The company justifies its decision in a press release that was sent to the publishers and published.
Like PlayStation and Xbox, Nintendo has its own online store for Nintendo Switch. The eShop allows players to purchase games with just a few clicks to start playing them immediately. The service, which has been around since 2011 and has already supported the 3DS and Wii U, regularly offers numerous special offers to Nintendo Switch owners. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to benefit from it. Big N has decided to close its store in a certain area.
Nintendo closes eShop in Russia
In a statement sent to publishers and released by the media game developerNintendo Europe announces the closure of the eShop in Russia as of May 31, 2023. The company says it made this decision based on “the current economic outlook.” In 2022, the company had already stopped selling physical products in Russia due to the war in Ukraine there. The eShop underwent maintenance for several months after transactions in Russian rubles stopped.
« From May 31, 2023, Russian customers with an existing Nintendo Account will be able to re-download previously purchased digital content. It is not possible to make new purchases or redeem download codes on Nintendo eShop in Russia “Explains the Japanese company in its official press release.
A decision on par with the competition
Nintendo’s decision to shut down its online service isn’t particularly surprising. It’s not the first video game company to shut down operations in Russia due to the war in Ukraine. Competitors Sony and Microsoft had already made the same decision in 2022. Big N states that players will still be able to download products they have already purchased. The company wants honor its previous commitments to its customers in the Russian market “. Russian players will therefore not be able to enjoy the new Nintendo Switch games this year. In April, we even learned that they would be deprived of Starfield, the Microsoft exclusive that has been awaited for years.
