Nintendo has recently announced an innovative change to its physical game cartridges for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. In a customer support post released following the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, the company detailed that these new game cards might not always contain the actual game. Instead, some will serve as game-key cards, which include a key for downloading the game from the internet. This shift in approach will be evident when the Switch 2 launches in June, allowing consumers to continue purchasing physical games as they have been accustomed to over the past eight years, but with a notable twist.
The key aspect of this new system is that the game-key cards will not have the game data directly on them. Upon inserting these cards into the Switch 2, users will need to download the game. To ensure transparency, Nintendo will label these game-key card cases clearly on the lower front of the packaging, giving buyers immediate awareness of what they are purchasing.
This news has sparked discussions among fans of physical gaming, who value the straightforwardness of inserting a cartridge and playing immediately without needing an internet connection or enduring long download times. Some are concerned that these game-key cards might eventually replace traditional cartridges entirely. However, current evidence suggests that this is unlikely to happen in the immediate future.
Observations from early Switch 2 box art indicate a mixed approach. While some titles like Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster feature the game-key card disclaimer, others such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not. This suggests that Nintendo might reserve the game-key card format for larger games that could benefit from this approach, such as Hogwarts Legacy or Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Notably, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition has been confirmed by CD Projekt Red to ship with a full 64 GB game card on the Switch 2's launch day.
During the Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo highlighted the technological advancements of the new red game cards, boasting faster data reading speeds compared to the original Switch from 2017. This emphasis on improved technology indicates that not all cartridges will be mere key containers. Nintendo has previously experimented with game cards that require additional downloads, as seen with titles like LA Noire and NBA 2K18 on the original Switch.
While it's still unclear how prevalent game-key cards will be across the Switch 2's library, more details are expected to emerge as the launch date of June 5, 2025, approaches. For comprehensive coverage of everything unveiled during the recent Direct, click here. To delve deeper into the technological advancements of the Nintendo Switch 2, click here.
