Transferring Switch games from one account to another - possible?

peekaboo · Oct 13, 2018

Hello! I have a question regarding Switch digital games transfer, I've tried to look up online here and on Reddit and on Nintendo's Customer Service website but it's such a byzantine system I'm getting pretty confused. Hopefully someone knows the answer to this.

Through a series of fortunate events, I've found myself in possession of two Switch consoles, my main one that I use regularly and another one that was gifted to me. I was hoping to leave my second Switch for my partner to play, he likes strategy games and there's a couple available for the Switch I thought he may be interested in (Cities: Skylines and the upcoming Civ 6). However, he's not a regular player and may loose interest after a while... he's put in +500 hours on Civilization Revolution on the DS but hardly ever plays these days.

I was wondering if there's a way of buying these two games digitally on my second Switch and if he ends up not playing the console regularly and I find myself wanting to sell it, is there a way to transfer these games from his Switch account onto mine? I wouldn't want to lose those games if they're linked to the console, I'd love to play them myself as well.

Any help appreciated. THANKS FOR READING.

Brau · Oct 13, 2018

Did you talk to Nintendo support?

I am sure they can merge accounts as long as you can proof you're the owner. I don't you can do this any other way outside from their help.

Ababol · Oct 13, 2018

No, you can't do that. What you can do is set up your account as secondary so he can play your games.

feroca · Oct 13, 2018

Merging account is always through customer support, no matter the console. So you could try calling.

Otherwise, game sharing. Buy everything with your account, activate it as primary on the other Switch, use secondary account to play games.

Bowl0l · Oct 13, 2018

I believe no gaming platform has such feature. You are probably better off sticking to buying physical copies.

peekaboo · Oct 13, 2018

Ababol said:
No, you can't do that. What you can do is set up your account as secondary so he can play your games.

What a bloody faff. I understand they're doing this so people don't 'share' games but surely there must be a way of transferring an account to one Switch to another? What happens if you lose your Switch with your digital games? Poof?

TheMoon · Oct 13, 2018

peekaboo said:
What a bloody faff. I understand they're doing this so people don't 'share' games but surely there must be a way of transferring an account to one Switch to another? What happens if you lose your Switch with your digital games? Poof?

Hm? That's always been possible. Your question is asking about transferring licenses from one account to another, not just logging into your account on another device. You can change which system is your primary in the account settings. What you're saying there is not an issue.

peekaboo · Oct 13, 2018

Well, if I'm selling the secondary Switch I don't mind adding the games under another account (my partner's) in my primary Switch, if the issue is transferring games from account 2 into account 1. If they can simply "transfer" his whole profile onto my Switch, that's fine with me. I just wasn't sure if this was possible at all!

TheMoon · Oct 13, 2018

peekaboo said:
Well, if I'm selling the secondary Switch I don't mind adding the games under another account (my partner's) in my primary Switch, if the issue is transferring games from account 2 into account 1. If they can simply "transfer" his whole profile onto my Switch, that's fine with me. I just wasn't sure if this was possible at all!

You can "transfer" the other profile by just logging into it yourself and setting whichever Switch as the primary system. It works just like any other console (finally). The image with M&L up there is showing you how to have both systems active with both being able to play games bought with each separate account on both systems (=sharing). You can do all of this yourself, no need for customer service. You only need them if you really want to actually merge two accounts into one, as that is never something any platform holder just lets its users do willy nilly).

Ephonk · Oct 13, 2018

I have four accounts on my switch, there really isn't a problem there. As you say you can simply "transfer" his account on your switch

SinCityAssassin · Oct 13, 2018

peekaboo said:
What happens if you lose your Switch with your digital games? Poof?

All digital purchases are attached to your Nintendo Account. Not the system.

RockyMin · Oct 13, 2018

Ababol said:
No, you can't do that. What you can do is set up your account as secondary so he can play your games.

Where can I get those green joycons?

TheMoon · Oct 13, 2018

RockyMin said:
Where can I get those green joycons?

buy this (NA)

or (EU/JP)

and this (NA)

...
or wait until luigi's mansion 3 launches with exclusive Luigi-green joycon... :)

RockyMin · Oct 13, 2018

TheMoon said:
buy this (NA)

or (EU/JP)

and this (NA)

...
or wait until luigi's mansion 3 launches with exclusive Luigi-green joycon... :)

The one in the bundle looks like a darker green and the joycon packs are Neon Green, which is different from the ones in the pic I first quoted. I like the darker shade, the kelly green looking ones, I don't like the bright neon ones.

TheMoon · Oct 13, 2018

RockyMin said:
The one in the bundle looks like a darker green and the joycon packs are Neon Green, which is different from the ones in the pic I first quoted. I like the darker shade, the kelly green looking ones, I don't like the bright neon ones.

bad pic saturation

they're the same, these are the only neon green/pink joycon out there. they're all the same.

RockyMin · Oct 13, 2018

TheMoon said:
bad pic saturation

they're the same, these are the only neon green/pink joycon out there. they're all the same.

I still want darker kelly green joycons, like Luigi's green. And I also want black ones as well.

TheMoon · Oct 13, 2018

RockyMin said:
I still want darker kelly green joycons, like Luigi's green. And I also want black ones as well.

then wait for inevitable luigi's mansion 3 joycon :)

FancyPants · Oct 13, 2018

peekaboo said:
I was wondering if there's a way of buying these two games digitally on my second Switch and if he ends up not playing the console regularly and I find myself wanting to sell it, is there a way to transfer these games from his Switch account onto mine? I wouldn't want to lose those games if they're linked to the console, I'd love to play them myself as well.

Any help appreciated. THANKS FOR READING.

Yes there is. Switch users can now set a console as their primary console and another console as their secondary.

He can just log into your Switch, set it as his primary console and then download the games there. It's finally that simple with a Nintendo system, and the games are no longer linked to the system.

You can also play his games (just not at the same time as him) by letting him log into your console and setting it as his secondary console. That way you can access his digitally bought games on your own console. The only drawback is the aforementioned lack of playing at the same time as he's playing the same game, and that your system performs an online check before playing his games, which requires you to be online.

Transferring Switch games from one account to another - possible?

peekaboo

Brau

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Ababol

feroca

Bowl0l

peekaboo

TheMoon

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peekaboo

TheMoon

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Ephonk

SinCityAssassin

RockyMin

TheMoon

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RockyMin

TheMoon

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RockyMin

TheMoon

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FancyPants