Nintendo Switch 2: eShop and Switch Online Set for 2025 Launch Across Taiwan and Southeast Asia

Nintendo continues to expand its global footprint with the upcoming launch of Nintendo Switch 2, and Asia is poised to enter a significant new era for the platform.

For the first time, Nintendo has officially confirmed plans to bring both the Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online services to more Asian markets, including Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

This milestone will bring long-awaited access to essential digital content and online multiplayer features for Nintendo fans in these regions. According to an official press release from Nintendo’s Taiwanese subsidiary, both the Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online services are scheduled to go live in Taiwan in 2025.

While the company did not provide a specific launch date, it emphasized that further details regarding release timing will be shared in due course.

As for Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, Nintendo stated that it is "actively working" to introduce both online services, but stopped short of offering a concrete launch window. This cautious language aligns with Nintendo’s typical approach to regional rollouts.

In its statement, Nintendo underscored that the eShop and Switch Online services would not be available in these five Asian markets at the initial launch of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Instead, they are expected to arrive after the console’s release, starting with Taiwan in 2025 and expanding to other Southeast Asian countries at a later date. At this time, Nintendo has not announced the exact release date for Nintendo Switch 2 in Taiwan or the Southeast Asian markets.

What is known is that the console is set for a global rollout in the third quarter of 2025, spanning from July to September.

In an effort to build engagement and awareness, Nintendo is also hosting the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience Taipei event in Taiwan on July 5 and 6, 2025.

This event will offer fans their first hands-on experience with the platform, though the absence of a formal system release date signals that launch plans for these regions are still being finalized. The expansion of the Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online services marks a significant step towards equal access for gamers in Asia, who have previously faced limitations in digital purchases, online play, and cloud saves.

Introducing these services reinforces Nintendo’s commitment to its global audience and reflects its growing focus on the rapidly expanding Asian gaming market.

With more details promised as launch dates approach, players across Taiwan and Southeast Asia can look forward to an enhanced Nintendo ecosystem in 2025 and beyond.

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