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As soon as we get some positive updates with Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders finally going live in the US, gamers are let down once again – with the recent news that most physical third-party games coming to the console will take the shape of “Game-Key Cards” as opposed to data being readily installed on the game cartridges themselves.
These Game Key Cards are essentially just physical access keys, and differ from the traditional cartridges in that they don’t hold any physical game data on them. This means that Nintendo fans purchasing physical copies of new releases for the Switch 2 will still need to download and install the game onto their console from the Nintendo eShop using this game card download key, which is very silly if you ask me. What’s the point in a physical purchase if there’s no physical data on the cartridges?
Nintendo announced its virtual game card concept during the Direct live stream on 2 April, and I initially thought it was a great idea that blended digital and physical purchases, making games still eligible to be shared, traded in, and sold across consoles despite the digital format. But I have to say, this seems a lot like games are becoming download-only for good, and moving away from physical formats altogether.
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A lot of game collectors are understandably frustrated by this Game-key Card fiasco, and feel as if the heart has been taken out of owning a physical game that could otherwise be considered a cardboard cutout. Additionally, what happens when the servers go offline? (RIP 3DS store). Reliance on an online store to play a physical game isn’t sitting right with a lot of people, and I completely agree that it’s very bizarre. Nintendo might as well just stop physical copies of games altogether with this approach.
This new information on Game Key Cards comes from reports that in Japan, the majority of Nintendo Switch 2 physical game releases from third-party developers are confirmed to be sporting this new Game-Key Cards format. This will most likely be the case in the UK and US markets as well when the console launches in June.
Reddit users have been discussing this topic, and making some excellent points in comparison with the success of some of the best retro game consoles (and the fact that the lack of digital elements means they’re still playable).
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Another batch of US confirmed games to be Game Key Carts from r/NSCollectors
I think the fact that these Game Key Cards aren’t tied to your Nintendo Account is a good thing, and that gamers will still be able to share, transfer, and ‘loan’ digital games to family and friends for up to two weeks at a time. This means that these key cards, despite not holding any physical game data, aren’t disposable either, and still hold value in the sense that they act as a key to unlocking access to the game.
You could also argue that this is nothing new really, since Nintendo was already doing this with physical games for the original Switch console, which were sold on Amazon with a “download code in the box” approach. In any case, following the backlash from Nintendo fans (myself included), feeling that new Nintendo Switch 2 game prices are far too high, this Game Key Card news feels like another blow to the chest.
How do you feel about this? Let me know in the comments below.
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