Error Message: You Must Have The Software in Order to Play
Description:
The following error message is displayed when you try to launch a game or DLC on your Nintendo Switch console: "You must have the software in order to play".
Additional Information:
This error message does not indicate that there is a problem with your console. It usually indicates that you are trying to start DLC for a game that is not present on the Nintendo Switch console.
What to Do:
What type of game are you trying to launch?
- Restart the Nintendo Switch console.
To restart the console, hold the POWER Button for three seconds, then select Power Options, followed by Restart.
- Remove the game card, then delete the software data (this will not delete any save data).
From the software's options menu, select Data Management, then Delete Software.
- Reinsert the game card and download any available software updates for the game.
- If you purchased DLC for this title, open Nintendo eShop with the user that was originally used to purchase the DLC, then redownload the DLC.
Select the picture of your user icon in the upper-right corner to access your Nintendo eShop account information, then highlight Redownload. Select the content in the list of previously purchased titles and select the orange icon to redownload it.
- If you are playing with a different user than the one that was used to purchase the DLC, review our information on primary and non-primary Nintendo Switch consoles.
- Try launching the game again.
Were you able to launch the game?
If this information resolved your issue, then you’re all set!
- Check the region compatibility for the software in question.
- Open the software's options menu and select Software Information, then Support Information.
- The supported regions for that software will be displayed there:
- Open the software's options menu and select Software Information, then Support Information.
- Confirm the country/region that the DLC is intended for.
- Visit accounts.nintendo.com and sign in with the Nintendo Account that you used to make the purchase.
- In your profile information, verify that the country/region of residence for your account matches the compatible regions for your version of the game.
Do the regions for the game and the DLC match?
If the game and DLC are both from the European region, but the error persists, please contact us for support.
If the regions do not match, the DLC you purchased will not work with your version of the game. Please contact us for additional assistance.
For more information about compatibility across regions, please read the Regional Compatibility FAQ.
- Restart the Nintendo Switch console.
To restart the console, hold the POWER Button for three seconds, then select Power Options, followed by Restart.
- Check for any available software updates for the game.
- Make sure the full game has been downloaded to the console.
- Check to see if it appears in the list of titles you can redownload on Nintendo eShop.
- If the game appears in the list, redownload it and try launching it again.
Did this resolve the issue?
If this information resolved your issue, then you’re all set!
Review your Nintendo eShop purchase history on the Nintendo Account website to verify that you have purchased both the full game and the DLC you are trying to access.
Have both the full game and the DLC been purchased?
- Check the region compatibility for the software in question.
- Open the software's options menu and select Software Information, then Support Information.
- The supported regions for that software will be displayed there:
- Open the software's options menu and select Software Information, then Support Information.
- Confirm the country/region that the DLC is intended for.
- Visit accounts.nintendo.com and sign in with the Nintendo Account that you used to make the purchase.
- In your profile information, verify that the country/region of residence for your account matches the compatible regions for your version of the game.
Do the regions for the game and the DLC match?
If the error persists, please contact us for support.
If the regions do not match, the DLC you purchased will not work with your version of the game. Please contact us for additional assistance.
For more information about compatibility across regions, please read the Regional Compatibility FAQ.
If you have not purchased both the full game and the DLC, you will not be able to access the DLC. You will need to purchase the full game on Nintendo eShop in order to play the DLC.
- If someone else who uses your Nintendo Switch console purchased the game, your console must be set as the primary console for their Nintendo Account so that you can play the game. If your Nintendo Switch console is not their primary console, they are the only one who can play the game on your console.
For additional assistance, please contact us.