Nearly a decade later, the original Switch finally has an eShop that isn't painfully slow, thanks to a new system update

Switch 2 production may be ramping up after approaching the 20m units sold mark, but that doesn't mean the original Switch is going anywhere. And in seeming acknowledgement of that, Nintendo has just released a new system update that's improved the eShop user experience in a way that will surprise (and please) everyone.

As detailed in the patch notes for system update Ver. 22.5.0, the entire Switch 1 line-up has received a major eShop rework that includes a new layout - which also supports "Basic Dark" as the theme, matching the console's if chosen - and "general system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience".

But it's the changes to eShop we're most interested in here. Nintendo has added a local eShop app in its latest update, similar to the one Switch 2 has enjoyed since its launch last summer. This means the console's digital store no longer runs through a terribly slow browser window of sorts. It's now as snappy as (or close to) Switch 2's eShop, which makes scrolling up and down its massive lists of games much easier. Daniel Vuckovic on Bluesky recorded and uploaded a clip of the new app in action. Night and day difference if you ask me.

The new eShop app also introduces the ability to set up PIN codes to both access the store and use saved payment methods, which can speed things up (typing in a password every time is a bit of a pain) and prevent children from making purchases without permission.

Complaints about the original eShop's sluggishness have been a thing for years, especially as the digital storefront became more crowded. Personally, during the pre-Switch 2 days, I often gave up on scrolling through deals due to the eShop's absolutely awful performance, so I have to imagine less patient people did too. It'd be interesting to see if there's an uptick of sales on the original Switch's storefront because of this.