How Long Do Nintendo Accounts Last? The Definitive Guide

The lifespan of a Nintendo Account can be a surprisingly complex topic. The simple answer is: a Nintendo Account itself does not expire. It exists indefinitely unless you, the user, actively initiate its deletion. However, inactivity can lead to consequences affecting your access to certain features and linked services. Understanding the nuances of account deletion, membership expirations, and the implications of child accounts is crucial for Nintendo Switch owners.

Diving Deep into Nintendo Account Lifecycles

While your core Nintendo Account remains active as long as you don’t delete it, several factors can impact your overall experience. These include:

• Account Deletion: If you request the deletion of your Nintendo Account, it will be permanently deleted from Nintendo’s servers after 30 days. This process is irreversible, meaning you’ll lose access to any digital purchases, save data, and linked services associated with that account.

• Nintendo Switch Online Membership: A Nintendo Switch Online membership provides access to online play, cloud saves, and a library of classic games. These memberships are subscription-based and come in various durations (1 month, 3 months, 12 months for individual plans, and 12 months for family plans). When your membership expires, you lose access to these features, although your Nintendo Account remains active.

• Child Accounts: Child accounts are designed for users under 18 and are linked to a parent or guardian’s Nintendo Account. While a child account doesn’t automatically convert into a general Nintendo Account upon turning 18, the user gains increased autonomy and can manage their own email address (after age 13 with parental consent).

• Account Linking: Once a Nintendo Account is linked to a user profile on a Nintendo Switch console, that link cannot be undone. This means that you can’t unlink the account from that specific profile on that specific console.

FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Nintendo Account Lifespans

Here’s a detailed breakdown of frequently asked questions to provide clarity on the lifespan of Nintendo Accounts and related services:

1. After 30 days, the Nintendo Account is permanently deleted from our files and cannot be restored. Do Nintendo Accounts expire?

No, Nintendo Accounts do not expire on their own. However, if you initiate the account deletion process, Nintendo will permanently delete your account, along with all associated data, after a 30-day waiting period. Once deleted, the account cannot be restored. The error messages will appear on the Nintendo Account website and on Nintendo Switch systems if you attempt to use a Nintendo Account that has been deactivated.

2. How long does a Nintendo membership last?

Individual memberships for Nintendo Switch Online are available in 1-month, 3-month, or 1-year increments. A family membership provides the Nintendo Switch Online service to everyone in the purchaser’s family group (up to 8 people). Family memberships are available in 12-month increments only. These are not the same as the account expiration; this refers to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription expiration.

3. What happens to a Nintendo child account when they turn 18? What is the oldest a child can be in order to have a child account created for them?

A child account can be created for any child under the age of 18. Please note that once a child account is created, it will not turn into a general Nintendo Account even once the user turns 18. The functionalities remain relatively the same, but the user gains more control over settings.

4. Is linking a Nintendo Account permanent?

Once a Nintendo Account is linked to a user account on a Nintendo Switch, this link cannot be undone. You can remove the user account from the Switch, but the fact that the Nintendo Account was linked to it remains permanent.

5. How long does Nintendo want to keep the Switch alive? Can 2 switches use the same account?

This question is unrelated to the account lifespan but addresses console usage. Nintendo has not publicly announced an end-of-life date for the Switch. You can link your Nintendo Account to multiple consoles. However, you can only activate one primary console per Nintendo Account. On a non-primary console, games that you’ve downloaded with your Nintendo Account will only be playable using your account.

6. How many times can you link a Nintendo Switch account?

Up to 8 user accounts can be created on the Nintendo Switch. A user account can also be linked to a Nintendo Account at any time after it is created. Once a Nintendo Account is linked to the account, the system’s online features will be available.

7. Why do I have to pay 50 cents for a Nintendo Account?

This is related to child accounts. To verify that a parent or guardian has granted consent for a child account, they will need to provide a valid credit card number. A one-time fee of $0.50 is charged to verify parental consent. This is primarily done for compliance with child online privacy regulations.

8. Do kids need their own switch account?

Parents and guardians can create and manage individual Nintendo Accounts for children ages 12 and younger. This lets everyone in the family have fun earning and redeeming My Nintendo points on their own accounts, while letting you stay in control of the family group.

9. Can a Nintendo child account play my games?

Digital games are tied to the Nintendo Account that purchased them. All users on a system will be able to play games purchased by any Nintendo Account that has registered the system as their primary console. This is important for families sharing a single Nintendo Switch.

10. What happens when your Nintendo Account expires?

This is a slight misinterpretation of terminology. Your Nintendo Account itself doesn’t expire. However, if your Nintendo Switch Online membership expires, the following will occur:

• Your Nintendo Account will still exist.
• You’ll still be able to use your Nintendo Switch, play games, and see when friends are online.
• You will lose access to online play for most games, cloud saves, and the library of classic games offered through the Nintendo Switch Online service.

11. Will I lose everything if I cancel Nintendo online?

Save Data Cloud backup will no longer be available. We are unable to guarantee that cloud save data will be retained after an extended period of time from when your membership ends. However, you can continue to use the save data that is saved to your system memory. Ensure you have saved the data that is important to you on the system memory.

12. How much does a 1 year Nintendo membership cost?

These are split into individual or family plans for just Nintendo Switch Online or for Nintendo Switch Online Plus, the expansion pack. The Individual Nintendo Switch Online plan costs $3.99 per month, $7.99 per 3 months, and $19.99 annually. Prices may vary based on region.

13. How do I know if my Nintendo online membership is expired?

Select the account you want to use on your Nintendo Switch. Tap the picture of your icon in the upper-right corner to access your Account Information. Highlight Nintendo Switch Online on the left side of the screen to view your current Nintendo Switch Online membership plan and expiration date.

14. Will I lose everything if I create a new Nintendo Account?

If you have save data backups stored to the Save Data Cloud service (which requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership), you will be able to download them once you create a new user and link to it your Nintendo Account. All software saved on the microSD card, except for screenshots, will become unusable. (Data on the microSD card will not be deleted.)

15. What happens to Nintendo child account when they turn 13?

When a child turns 13 on a Nintendo Account, they will be able to change their Nintendo Account email address to their own, as long as they have parental consent. To change the email address, the child will need to log into their Nintendo Account on a web browser and update their account information. This is an important step in gaining more independence over their account.

Protecting Your Nintendo Legacy

Understanding how Nintendo Accounts and their related services function is crucial for preserving your digital game library and save data. Always consider the implications before deleting an account or letting your Nintendo Switch Online membership expire. With careful management, you can ensure that your Nintendo gaming experiences are enjoyed for years to come.

The future of gaming and learning is an exciting area of exploration. For more information about the intersection of games and education, consider visiting the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. There, you can find information about research, events, and publications related to the use of games for learning.