Nintendo Officially Shuts Down eShop Sales in Russia

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Nintendo has officially ceased all eShop sales to players in Russia effective immediately.

Nintendo of Europe made the announcement yesterday that users living in Russia will no longer be able to make purchases or redeem digital codes on the eShop, and that their credit card information and PayPal details will be deleted for security purposes. However, they will still be able to download games and DLC they previously bought for a while longer.

“As of May 31, 2023, and for the foreseeable future, Russian customers with an existing Nintendo Account will be able to redownload digital content that they have previously purchased,” the company said in the announcement (translated by Engadget). “It will not be possible to make any new purchases or use download codes within [the] Nintendo eShop in Russia.”

How much longer Russian users will still be able to access their previously purchased content from the eShop is unknown. Nintendo also noted that customers will not be able to make new Nintendo accounts as long as they have Russia set as their country of residence.

This announcement comes over a year after Nintendo put the Russian eShop into “maintenance mode,” explaining that the payment service the company uses on the eShop was no longer processing rubles. That came on the heels of its previous measure to halt shipments of its games and hardware to the country after other gaming companies, including other Big 3 members Microsoft and Sony, did the same as a result of its invasion of Ukraine, which is ongoing.

Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.