If I sell my Nintendo Switch, will the game data be transferred to the new owner as well?

Digital Games and Accounts

• Digital Games: If you have purchased digital games, they are tied to your Nintendo Account. Simply selling the console does not transfer ownership of these games to the new owner unless you also transfer your account to them. This is not a straightforward process and may violate Nintendo's terms of service, which prohibit the resale of accounts
• Transferring Accounts: If you want to give the new owner access to your digital games, you would need to change the email and password of your Nintendo Account, effectively transferring control. However, this is risky as it could lead to potential account recovery issues later on

Save Data Transfer

• Save Data: You can transfer save data from one Switch to another using the built-in transfer feature. This requires both consoles to be nearby and connected to the internet. The save data will be deleted from your original console once transferred
• No Copies: The transfer process does not create a copy of your save data; it moves it entirely from one console to another. Therefore, if you want to keep your save data, you should not perform this transfer before selling

Recommendations

1. Factory Reset: Before selling your Switch, it is advisable to perform a factory reset after transferring any desired save data or unlinking your account. This ensures that all personal information is removed from the device
2. Physical vs. Digital: If you are concerned about the resale value and ownership rights, consider purchasing physical copies of games in the future, as they can be resold without such complications