Switch Game Vouchers Have A Requirement You Might Not Have Realized

Nintendo's first-party games seldom go on sale, and with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom testing the waters for $70 games from the company, that price keeps rising. There is a way around this though, as Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers can grant you a sizable discount, but you might want to read the fine print first before you grab them.

Nintendo's elevator pitch for these game vouchers is that once you've purchased them, you'll be able to use them on two games from Nintendo's library. The Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers cost $100 and can only be purchased if you have a Nintendo Switch Online account, effectively saving you $20 in the process as Nintendo's games typically have a $60 price tag. The list of eligible games includes some heavy-hitters like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but the catch here is that these vouchers have an expiration date attached to them.

Per Nintendo's website, you'll have 12 months to redeem the vouchers and you must have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. "Paid Nintendo Switch Online membership required at the time of purchase and redemption of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers. Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers must be redeemed within 12 months from purchase date, have no cash value, and cannot be transferred, returned, or redeemed for cash," the text reads.

And yes, some people have had to find out about this clause the hard way.

Wait… What? Lol, @NintendoAmerica cancelled my pre-order because my membership expired? Is this a thing? How is this a thing? Are my vouchers no longer valid? pic.twitter.com/vun1xu9AOI

— Steve Kim (@Fobwashed) May 5, 2023

With that in mind, the game vouchers deal is still excellent value for some of Nintendo's very best games. In addition to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, you can grab several Pokemon titles, Fire Emblem Engage, Metroid Dread, and much more through the promotion. Although it's probably safe to say that you shouldn't hold out for Metroid Prime 4 to release before you reach the expiry date on this deal.