Nintendo accounts hold digital purchases, eShop funds, and active subscriptions that form part of a person’s estate. This guide explains what happens to a Nintendo Account after a death, how to close it, what executors can and cannot recover, and what to do with the physical console before the account is shut down.
If you are managing a broader digital estate, our guide to what happens to digital assets when someone dies covers the wider picture. For other gaming platforms, see our guides to PlayStation and Microsoft/Xbox.
What a Nintendo Account contains
A Nintendo Account can hold:
- Nintendo eShop funds – stored credit purchased with real money, which may count as a recoverable estate asset
- Gold Points – reward points earned on purchases
- Downloaded games and DLC – digital purchases that are licensed, not owned
- Nintendo Switch Online subscription – a recurring charge that should be cancelled promptly
- Save data – game progress stored locally on the console or in the cloud (via Nintendo Switch Online)
- Family Group membership – if the deceased was the administrator of a family group, other members may be affected
How to close a Nintendo Account after a death
Nintendo does not have a published bereavement policy or a dedicated bereavement team. The process for closing a deceased person’s account requires contacting Nintendo Support directly.
Contact route:
Go to nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Contact. Nintendo offer live chat, email support, and phone support for UK customers. Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
When you contact them, explain that the account holder has died and that you are acting as executor or next of kin. Be prepared to provide:
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- Your own identity document (passport or driving licence)
- The deceased’s Nintendo Account email address or username
- Confirmation of your relationship to the deceased or your authority as executor
Nintendo’s systems require the account holder’s password to make most account changes, which is often a barrier after a death. If you do not know the password, explain this to the support team – they have a process for handling deceased accounts, even though it is not prominently published.
| Step | Action | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Locate the Nintendo Account email address (check the console or emails) | Executor / next of kin |
| 2 | Back up save data from the Switch console (see below) | Executor |
| 3 | Note any eShop balance and Gold Points | Executor |
| 4 | Cancel Nintendo Switch Online subscription to stop further charges | Nintendo Support or through App Store/Google Play if subscribed that way |
| 5 | Contact Nintendo Support to request account closure | Executor |
| 6 | Request a goodwill refund of any eShop balance | Executor (at step 5 or separately) |
Nintendo eShop funds
Any balance held in the Nintendo eShop wallet was purchased with real money and may be considered part of the estate. However, Nintendo’s standard terms state that eShop funds are non-refundable.
Nintendo does not publish a specific bereavement refund policy. In practice, executors can request a goodwill refund citing the death. There is no guarantee this will succeed, but Nintendo support has discretion to make exceptions in exceptional circumstances. The request is worth making – particularly if the balance is significant.
If a refund is refused, make a note of the refusal for estate records. The eShop balance will be lost when the account is closed.
Digital games and downloadable content
Games purchased from the Nintendo eShop are digitally licensed to the account holder’s Nintendo Account. They are not transferable. When the account is closed, access to those games is lost.
This is a significant distinction from physical games, which are tangible property that can be sold or given away as part of the estate. Executors should:
- Identify any valuable physical Switch game cards – these are estate assets
- Understand that downloaded digital games cannot be inherited or transferred to another Nintendo Account
- Note that the physical Switch console retains any locally downloaded games until the console is factory reset or the account is removed
Nintendo Switch Online subscription
Nintendo Switch Online is an annual or monthly subscription that enables online multiplayer, cloud saves, and access to classic game libraries. It renews automatically.
If the deceased had an active subscription, it should be cancelled to stop further charges. The subscription may have been set up through:
- The Nintendo eShop directly – cancel via the Nintendo Account settings
- The Apple App Store – cancel via the deceased’s Apple ID subscriptions
- Google Play – cancel via Google account subscriptions
If you cannot access the Nintendo Account, contact Nintendo Support and provide proof of death to request cancellation. Also check bank statements for recurring Nintendo charges (typically labelled as “Nintendo” or “Nintendo of Europe”).
There is no published pro-rata refund policy for unexpired Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions. If there is significant unused time on an annual subscription, request a goodwill refund when contacting Nintendo Support.
Gold Points
Gold Points are reward points earned on Nintendo eShop purchases. They are tied to the account that earned them and are non-transferable. Gold Points expire on the last day of the twelfth month after they were earned.
If the account has a Gold Points balance, make a note for estate records. They cannot be cashed out or transferred, and they will be lost when the account is closed.
Family Groups
Nintendo Account holders can set up a Family Group of up to 8 accounts, with one account acting as the administrator. The administrator typically pays for a Family Group Nintendo Switch Online plan, which covers all members.
If the deceased was the Family Group administrator:
- Other family members will lose access to the shared Nintendo Switch Online subscription when the account is closed
- Those family members will need to set up their own Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions, or a new Family Group under a different administrator
- Contact Nintendo Support when closing the account to discuss the transition for other Family Group members
If the deceased was a non-administrator member of a Family Group, contact the administrator (or Nintendo Support if the administrator is unavailable) to remove the deceased’s account from the group.
The Nintendo Switch console
The physical Nintendo Switch console is a tangible asset and part of the estate regardless of what happens to the digital account.
Before closing the Nintendo Account or letting the Nintendo Switch Online subscription lapse, take these steps:
1. Back up save data Some games support cloud save backup via Nintendo Switch Online. If the subscription is still active, upload save data to the cloud before it lapses. Note: not all games support cloud saves (some titles, particularly from Pokémon and Animal Crossing games, restrict cloud saves to prevent cheating).
Local save data on the console is not lost when the account is closed – it remains until the console is factory reset.
2. Deregister the console A Nintendo Account can designate one console as its “primary console.” Deregistering this before closing the account ensures the console can be set up fresh for whoever inherits it, without being tied to the deceased’s account.
3. Factory reset before selling or transferring If the console is to be sold or passed to someone else, factory reset it. This removes all locally saved data and account links. The buyer or recipient then sets it up with their own Nintendo Account.
Physical Nintendo Switch games (game cards) are estate assets and can be sold or given away independently of the console.
Things to watch out for
- Password barrier: Nintendo’s self-service account closure requires the account password. Without it, you must go through Nintendo Support with documentation. This is normal and there is a process for it – contact them directly.
- Family Group impact: Closing the administrator’s account affects other family members’ subscriptions. Warn family members before closing the account so they can make alternative arrangements.
- Save data window: Cloud save data via Nintendo Switch Online is deleted shortly after the subscription lapses. If the family wants to preserve save data (for sentimental reasons), act before the subscription ends.
- Multiple platforms: If the deceased had accounts on PlayStation, Xbox, or other gaming platforms, each requires separate notification. See our PlayStation guide and Microsoft guide.
- Subscriptions on bank statements: Nintendo charges may appear as “Nintendo”, “Nintendo of Europe GmbH”, or via Apple/Google billing. Check statements carefully.
Summary
Nintendo does not have a dedicated bereavement team, but their support team can close a deceased person’s account with a death certificate and proof of your identity. Before closing the account, back up any save data from the console, note the eShop balance (and request a goodwill refund), and warn any Family Group members so they can set up alternative subscriptions. Digital games are non-transferable; the physical console and any game cards are estate assets.
Contact Nintendo Support: nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Contact – Monday to Friday, 9:00 am–6:00 pm