Nintendo of America Outsources Customer Support: Hundreds of U.S. Contractors Impacted

Nintendo of America, a subsidiary renowned for its support of popular hardware like the Nintendo Switch and digital storefronts such as the eShop, has begun a major overhaul of its customer support operations.

According to a detailed investigation by IGN, the company is outsourcing a significant portion of its customer service to partners in South America, a move that has already resulted in hundreds of U.S.-based contractors losing their positions. Background and Transition to Outsourced Support Historically, Nintendo of America maintained a robust, in-house customer support structure, collaborating mainly with two U.S.-based agencies to facilitate a wide spectrum of services.

These included everything from back-office operations to fraud handling, financial chargebacks, customer phone and email support, refunds, account bans, data transfers, and hardware repair assistance for products like the Nintendo Switch.

Contractors, many of whom were highly skilled and deeply familiar with Nintendo’s internal systems, were often employed on 11-month contracts, sometimes being laid off briefly before contract renewal, which allowed for consistent workforce retention and knowledge continuity. However, as of March 2024, significant changes began to occur.

According to IGN’s report, which is based on testimonies from multiple sources with knowledge of the transition, contractors were informed through their employment agencies that their contracts would soon be phased out entirely.

It is estimated that around 200 contractors were impacted by this decision.

Reports also indicate that severance packages have not been offered, and in some cases, current contract workers have been tasked with training their own overseas replacements. Expanding Customer Support into South America The new customer support model prioritizes outsourcing to partners primarily in Brazil, with additional operations in Argentina and Nicaragua.

While some U.S.

contractors temporarily continue to assist, responsibility for directly handling customer support inquiries is shifting to teams in these South American countries.

According to sources cited by IGN, this transition has been complicated by language barriers, communication hurdles, and perceived declines in training rigor and customer support standards. Nintendo’s Response and Commitment to Service In response to the developments, Nintendo of America issued a formal statement, acknowledging the partnership with external agencies and expressing gratitude for the years of service provided by skilled contractors.

The company disputed some of the claims detailed in IGN’s reporting, clarifying, “We are extremely thankful to have partnered with several companies and their talented contractors over the years to deliver high-quality customer service experiences.

We continue to evolve and expand our customer service model with external partners that have deep experience in all the markets we serve across the Americas.” Nintendo went on to state that the revised strategy enables enhanced scalability to address seasonal needs and maintain consistent support, further emphasizing that customer satisfaction levels remain positive among its service partners. Looking Forward As Nintendo enhances its presence across Latin America, broadening access for customers seeking support for the Nintendo Switch, the implications of this outsourcing move will be closely watched.

While the company asserts its commitment to high-quality customer service, the transition is a significant shift for contractors and the day-to-day experience of players engaging with the brand in North America and beyond.

Nintendo’s evolution in customer support reflects broader industry trends but raises questions on workforce practices and the long-term impact on service quality for the global Nintendo community.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Nintendo of America Switch America Xbox Series X|S S customer support U South America IGN Brazil Argentina Nicaragua