Production of the Switch 2 may be stepping up as it approaches the 20 million units sold milestone, yet that doesn’t mean the original Switch is being left behind. With that in mind, Nintendo has now rolled out a fresh system update aimed at refining the eShop experience in a way that should surprise (and genuinely please) a lot of people.
According to the patch notes for system update Ver. 22.5.0, the full Switch 1 catalog has received a major eShop redesign. This update introduces a new layout, offers a “Basic Dark” theme for those who want it, and includes “general system stability improvements to enrich the user’s experience.”
That said, it’s the changes to the eShop that really grab attention. Nintendo has added a local eShop application in this update, matching the version Switch 2 has used since it launched last summer. In practice, that means the console’s digital storefront no longer relies on a frustrating, slow, browser-style interface. Instead, it runs as quickly as (or close to) Switch 2’s eShop, which makes it much simpler to browse through its large library of games. Daniel Vuckovic on Bluesky captured and shared a video showing the new app in action. Overall, it’s a huge upgrade, in my view.
The revised eShop app also adds support for setting PIN codes for both store entry and saved payment options. This streamlines things by reducing the need to enter a password every time—something that can get exhausting fast—and it also helps protect against accidental or unauthorized purchases made by children.
Issues with the original eShop’s sluggish behavior have been a source of complaints for years, especially as the digital storefront became more and more crowded. Personally, in the period before Switch 2, I often gave up on browsing deals because the eShop felt so slow, so I have to believe others with less patience did the same. It’ll be interesting to find out whether this improvement leads to higher sales on the original Switch’s storefront.