Nintendo violates law in presale of digital games
Nintendo does not give consumers their money back if they order a game during its presale and then decide to cancel it. The Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) states that Nintendo violated the rights of the consumer.
Presale of downloadable games
Some downloadable games can be bought from Nintendo’s webshop during a presale. The software can then be downloaded and installed onto the consumer’s computer before the actual release date – so when the game is released, the consumer can start gaming right away. But when the consumer changes their mind and wants to cancel their purchase, they do not receive their money back. According to Nintendo all sales are final.
Violation of the law
Consumers from the EU have the right to cancel reservations of digital games and to get their money back, if the games have not been released yet. According to the NCC, Nintendo should not be allowed to prohibit the cancellation of downloadable games. The NCC requests Nintendo in a letter to respond and to comply with European law.
Our advice
The NCC is awaiting a response from Nintendo and expects the game giant will eventually comply with the law. Are you unsure about making a purchase, wait for the official launch of the game. This way you can prevent an argument about refunding the game.
Contact
Do you have a complaint about a Nintendo purchase? Contact our lawyers.