Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch update 23.5.0 out now, patch notes

Nintendo pushed system version 23.5.0 to both the original Switch and the Switch 2 on November 9, 2026, laying the groundwork for a digital gifting feature that goes live on November 17. The update adds preparatory data so that users on 23.5.0 or later can send eligible Nintendo eShop products — games, DLC and upgrade packs — to other members of their Nintendo Account family group, which can include up to eight people. Nintendo’s own announcement notes the feature arrives “just in time for the holidays” and will be accessible from the product page by checking a “Give as a Gift” box before purchase.

The gifting flow lets the buyer pick a recipient from the family group, choose which of that person’s linked systems receives the gift, select a gift-wrap color and complete the purchase normally. The gift appears immediately in the recipient’s HOME Menu, where it can be accepted and played without entering payment details or a download code. Child accounts cannot send gifts, and Nintendo says “the number of digital gift purchases allowed in a given period is limited,” though it does not specify the cap. Some products are also ineligible, but the company has not published a full exclusion list.

Vooks reports the update also adds support for European Portuguese and introduces the option to configure accessibility settings during first-time console setup. GoNintendo mirrors Nintendo’s language on the November 17 launch date and the family-group restriction, noting the measure prevents someone who steals a console from sending themselves multiple gifts. Nintendo World Report and Nintendo Everything both confirm the 23.5.0 version number and the November 9 release, while PowerUp Gaming highlights the November 17 eShop gifting arrival date.

The rollout is automatic for internet-connected systems, but owners can also trigger the update manually from System Settings. Nintendo’s support page reminds users that the feature requires system version 23.5.0 or greater, reinforcing that the November 9 firmware is a prerequisite for the November 17 service launch.