Tuesday, March 25 marks a bittersweet moment for Nintendo enthusiasts, as the company is set to retire its Gold Points feature within the My Nintendo loyalty program. For quite some time, these Gold Points have been a cherished perk, offering gamers a way to earn digital credits through their game purchases, which they could then use in the eShop.
In this loyalty setup, My Nintendo users could earn back 5% from digital purchases and 1% from physical ones as Gold Points. Over time, these points could accumulate enough for essentially free games, a feature that has been quite popular among Nintendo’s loyal community. Thus, the decision to phase out Gold Points leaves many fans feeling disappointed.
The announcement of the upcoming discontinuation of Gold Points came last month, and the date is fast approaching. Come March 25, at 12:30 am ET, the opportunity to earn new Gold Points bids farewell. However, any Gold Points players currently hold remain valid, though they do have a shelf life of one year, necessitating timely use.
Nintendo has not publicly clarified why they are dropping Gold Points, but the timing is certainly eyebrow-raising. This change occurs shortly before a major event—the unveiling of the Switch 2 at the Nintendo Direct on April 2 at 9:00 am ET. Anticipation is high for this event, which is expected to disclose the new console’s pricing, release date, and launch lineup. Perhaps, in moving forward with its next-gen console, Nintendo believes the Gold Points no longer align with their business strategy. Whether they think the program hasn’t spurred enough additional purchases or if they’re steering towards different marketing incentives, the reasoning remains speculative.
Although parting with Gold Points is undoubtedly disappointing for My Nintendo members, the upcoming Switch 2 announcements may help turn the tide, providing a hopeful glimpse into the future with fresh games and console innovations to look forward to.
