Nintendo offers a free My Nintendo rewards program, where you earn Platinum and Gold Points for every digital purchase made on the Nintendo eShop or the official Nintendo website. These points can later be redeemed for discounts on select digital games, such as The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario. While the My Nintendo rewards program will continue to offer Platinum Points, Nintendo has announced that it will stop providing Gold Points.

It's hard to find a replacement for Gold Points

Nintendo Gold Points have helped gamers get more Nintendo games than they normally would. They allowed players to save money on game purchases and use those savings to purchase other games. One Reddit user even mentioned that they were able to purchase games worth €50 using Gold Points.

However, Nintendo has announced that you will no longer be able to earn Gold Points on purchases made after March 24th, 2025 (at 9:30 PM Pacific Time). That said, there are two scenarios in which you can still earn Gold Points even after that date. First, you will earn Gold Points on games you pre-order before March 24th, even if the payment is processed after that date. Second, you will earn Gold Points on purchasing physical versions of games that were released on or before March 25.

Gold Points remain valid for 12 months from the date they are earned. So, for instance, if you earn a Gold Point on March 23rd, 2025, it will be valid until March 23rd, 2026. It's unclear why Nintendo has decided to discontinue Gold Points, as the announcement page does not provide any explanation for the decision.

Nintendo also won't let you use its vouchers on Switch 2 games.

Discontinuing Gold Points isn't the only decision affecting gamers. Nintendo has also updated its Switch game vouchers FAQ page with a new statement confirming that Nintendo Switch game vouchers will not be eligible for games exclusive to the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.

These vouchers previously allowed Nintendo Switch Online members to purchase two games from a selected list at a discounted price. Like the discontinuation of the Gold Points system, it's unclear why Nintendo is ending the voucher program. Interestingly, we're just months away from a Nintendo Direct, scheduled for April 2, focused on the Switch 2. It seems plausible that the company will clarify the reasons behind the discontinuation of both the Gold Points system and the voucher program during that event.