The Nintendo eShop has been suspended in Russia as payments cannot be processed in the region right now. The confirmation from Nintendo followed numerous reports from players within the country that they were unable to make purchases from the eShop.
Why is the Nintendo eShop unavailable in Russia?
The Nintendo eShop has been placed in maintenance mode in Russia according to a notice on the Nintendo Support page. This means players can browse the eShop but are unable to make purchases. According to a translation by Nintendo Life, this has happened because the payment process used by the Nintendo eShop is no longer processing payments in rubles, possibly due to the currency hitting a record low in value since Russia invaded Ukraine:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Nintendo eShop
Due to the fact that the payment service used in Nintendo eShop has suspended the processing of payments in rubles, Nintendo eShop in Russia is temporarily placed into maintenance mode.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused. We will share updates as the situation develops.
While other video game companies like CD PROJEKT and EA have chosen to halt sales of their products within Russia and Belarus, the wording of the statement suggests Nintendo’s hand may have been forced by a third-party company who processes all payments from the eShop. As soon as Nintendo issues an update, we’ll be sure to let you know.
In other news, Microsoft has made a similar move to halt sales of their products in Russia. This includes all of their PC products and services as well as Xbox consoles, games, and services like Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold. Elsewhere, a demo for Kirby and the Forgotten Land has hit the Nintendo eShop on the Switch. The demo includes three levels that can be played in single-player or local co-op for two players.
