Nintendo will repair Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles damaged in the Kumamoto earthquake that struck Japan on July 28, free of charge. The company says the offer covers owners in areas designated under Japan’s Disaster Relief Act and will accept requests through February 1, 2027.
The magnitude 6.8 quake killed at least 38 people, including several who died when part of an Aeon Mall collapsed. Local authorities have evacuated more than 8,000 residents, and roughly 700 homes were destroyed outright. Another 12,000 homes sustained damage, and around 45,000 households remain without running water.
Extreme summer heat is slowing recovery work and raising the risk of heatstroke among crews and displaced residents. Officials are also monitoring the region for aftershocks.
How Nintendo’s Kumamoto earthquake repairs work
In a statement, Nintendo said: “We will provide free repairs for our products to customers located in areas designated under the Disaster Relief Act due to this earthquake, for requests made up to February 1, 2027.” The offer applies to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 hardware along with peripherals such as controllers and docks, regardless of whether the device is still under warranty. Nintendo has noted that some damaged units may not be repairable.
Japan’s Disaster Relief Act lets the national government formally designate municipalities as eligible for emergency support once damage from a disaster crosses set thresholds. Companies often tie relief programs to that designation because it draws a clear, verifiable line for who qualifies, rather than requiring individual proof of loss.
Owners in the designated zones can submit consoles through Nintendo’s standard repair channels. The company has not said how many repair requests it expects to process. It also has not said whether the February 2027 deadline could shift if recovery in Kumamoto takes longer than expected.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 as the successor to the original Switch, which Nintendo released in 2017. Both consoles remain in wide use across Japan, including in Kumamoto Prefecture. The free repair program is likely to cover a broad mix of older and newer hardware as a result.
Other companies pledge relief funds
Nintendo has also committed 50 million yen, about $300,000, to the Red Cross for earthquake relief work in Kumamoto. Pokémon Company pledged 100 million yen, roughly $600,000, and Sony donated 50 million yen of its own toward recovery in the region. None of the three companies has announced additional hardware or software relief measures beyond these donations and Nintendo’s repair program.
Kumamoto has faced major earthquakes before. A pair of quakes in April 2016 killed more than 270 people and caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure across the prefecture. Reconstruction from that disaster took years to complete. Recovery from the July 28 Kumamoto earthquake is likely to follow a similarly long timeline, with Nintendo’s repair window running well into 2027.