Nintendo Japan eShop drops foreign card payments

Nintendo Japan eShop Drops Foreign Card Payments

Big news for Nintendo Switch owners outside Japan: The Japanese Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store will no longer accept foreign credit cards or PayPal payments starting March 25th.

Why the Change?

Nintendo cites a need to prevent fraudulent use as the reason for this change. This means those wishing to access the Japanese eShop, perhaps to buy games not yet released internationally, will need alternative payment methods.

What are the Alternatives?

Nintendo recommends using Japanese-issued credit cards. Purchasing pre-paid Nintendo eShop vouchers designed for use in Japan is another option.

Possible Implications

This move could be a strategy to limit users with multiple accounts across different eShops, potentially impacting price comparisons before the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2.

The full statement from Nintendo can be found on their customer support website.