Nintendo Revamps Switch eShop Charts to Reduce Shovelware Visibility

Nintendo has rolled out a major change to the Nintendo Switch eShop, adjusting how best-selling games are ranked in a move aimed at cleaning up the storefront—but not without controversy.

New Ranking System Prioritizes Revenue Over Downloads

As part of a significant firmware update released yesterday, the Switch eShop’s best-sellers list now ranks games based on total revenue over the past three days, rather than the previous metric of total downloads over 14 days. The update comes ahead of the highly anticipated Switch 2 launch on June 5, and marks a notable shift in how visibility is determined on Nintendo’s digital storefront.

The Goal: Combat Shovelware and Chart Manipulation

This update appears to target the rising problem of low-quality “shovelware”—cheap, rapidly published games that crowd the eShop’s top charts through deep discounts or copycat tactics. These titles, often priced to encourage impulse purchases, will now be deprioritized since revenue rather than sheer download volume is the new standard.

Games mimicking popular titles like Unpacking and Black Myth: Wukong were previously highlighted as examples of this issue.

Impact on Indie Games and Market Visibility

While this change may elevate the quality of games shown in top positions, it may also make discoverability more difficult for legitimate indie developers, whose lower-priced titles could struggle to compete with the revenue generated by big-budget releases.

As of now, the eShop’s top charts are dominated by high-profile games such as Minecraft, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, EA Sports FC 25, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Hogwarts Legacy—titles that typically maintain full retail prices and benefit from sustained demand.

A separate chart for download-exclusive games is available but is not shown by default, reducing its visibility to the average user.

Changes Tied to Upcoming Switch 2 Launch

The timing of this eShop overhaul is likely in preparation for the Switch 2, which Nintendo says will offer improved performance for the digital storefront—though, curiously, still without background music. The updated ranking system is expected to carry over to the next-gen console.

Other Firmware Additions and User Concerns

Alongside the ranking update, the firmware introduces new features such as Gameshare and Virtual Game Cards. However, early users noted a drawback: shared games can no longer be played online simultaneously across two consoles, prompting backlash from some fans who see this as a step backward.

Conclusion

Nintendo’s attempt to clean up the eShop by prioritizing revenue over downloads may help reduce spam and shovelware, but it raises new challenges for indie developers. As the Switch 2 era approaches, all eyes will be on how Nintendo balances storefront curation with equitable exposure for developers of all sizes.