Nintendo has updated its guidelines for publishing on theNintendo Switch 2eShop, implementing a stricter vetting process to combat low-quality “slop” games that have plagued the storefront in the past. The Japanese company has had a stellar quarter with the release of theNintendo Switch 2earlier this year, bringing a slew of new users to the platform. While the new console is still in its infancy with a limited launch lineup, it has already sold over 3.5 million units worldwide within a week of its release.
The Nintendo Switch eShop has been heavily criticized in the past for allowing low-effort spam content to take up much of its front page. Game makers have often complained that spam bundles flooding the homepage make it nearly impossible for their games to get discovered, souring the experience for consumers and developers alike. With theSwitch 2 driving an influx of new playersto the storefront, Nintendo is looking to correct this oversight before it becomes a major problem for these newcomers as well.
According to a report by IGN, the Nintendo Switch 2 developer and publisher portal was updated with a new set of guidelines for companies looking to host their games on the platform on June 5, the same day as theSwitch 2’s release. Nintendo appears to be cracking down hard on spam content with this new set of rules that have already gone into effect. Chiefly, anything that qualifies as “damaging to the Nintendo brand” will be disallowed from being featured on the storefront. Moreover, all games are now restricted to five bundles per year, with an allowance of one additional bundle every year afterward to a maximum of eight. Inaccurate descriptions, misleading information, and abrupt name changes on the store page are prohibited. Content that is deemed overtly sexual, political, or criminal in nature will face much stricter scrutiny when submitted to Nintendo for approval.
Nintendo Switch 2 eShop Implements Stricter Publishing Guidelines
Notably, the new content guidelines have only gone into effect in Japan and other Asian regions; the US eShop appears to be exempt for now. Nintendo has also stated that the guidelines are not comprehensive and “determinations may be made on a regional basis,” leaving the door open for case-by-case exceptions. Since the company holds the right to refuse service, developers and publishers who aim to skirt the rules may find their games removed from theSwitch 2 eShopeven if they stick to the letter of the law.
Reducing the clutter on a popular storefront like the Nintendo Switch 2 eShop is great for the visibility of relativelyunknown indie gamesthat would’ve gone unnoticed otherwise. It benefits developers who invest significant time and effort into bringing their creative visions to life. However, some are worried that Nintendo may be too heavy-handed when enforcing these new rules, censoring mature themes, horror games, and socially conscious topics.
