Now I know this may sound like a really dumb question but the reason I want to know is because I want to be able to buy Doom 3 on Nintendo switch but I can't because I am 17 and it requires you to be 18+ in order to play. I watched a video that showed you can make a separate account for your switch and make the age 18+ and than you can buy the game on that account and play it through your main account. But I'm worried that the game will think it is owned by the second account and not the main one which would be a pain because I hate having multiple accounts with different games on them. So I was just wondering If my main account actually would own Doom 3 if I buy it (they both use a different email)
If I buy and download a game through second Nintendo account do I own it on the main account too
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Related Solutions
Individual save data transfer is quite difficult on the Switch. I believe you can transfer an entire Switch's configuration, but not individual game save data. (Unofficially, there are complicated ways to transfer individual save data through homebrew file managers.)
According to image from account transfer dialog and Nintendo support article, games purchased on one account are tied to it, and will be playable only on console, which has this account.
So
- She will be able to re-download games on her new Switch;
- All save data attached to her account will be transferred;
- Games will be indeed unplayable on current Switch*;
*It would be still possible to play on current Switch by using same account, which is possible if one console is primary and another is not, but there is the whole set of caveats in this case.
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Best Answer
The game will definitely belong to the second account. I know this because my wife and I have two separate accounts on the same Switch. An account can be linked to multiple Switches, but only one Switch can be identified as the "primary device" for a given account.
Games bought for a given account account are:
visible in the installed games list for all accounts on the device.
playable by all accounts on the device if this is the primary device for the account that owns the game.
playable only by the account that owns the game if this is not the primary device. (And you will need an internet connection at all times.)
available to be downloaded from the eShop only by the account that bought it.
Here's some more detailed information about primary device vs non-primary device.
I wasn't able to find any information on whether parental controls would block your first (under 18) account from playing the game bought by the secondary (over 18) account. You mention a video that shows you how to do this and that it works, but I find that a surprising oversight on Nintendo's part. Be aware that even if it works today, it might get patched out tomorrow, and that would presumably lock you out of any saves for that game which you've built up on the first account.
Also, be aware that once you have multiple accounts on a single Switch, it will pop up and ask you which account you want to play with for every game on that Switch, regardless of which account owns it. Which means if your parents ever use the device themselves, they may notice a new account they don't remember creating in that list.
I believe a list of accounts associated to the device is also available through the parental controls app on iOS (and presumably Android? I have an iPhone.) I haven't played too much with that, though.