Developers releasing projects on the Switch 2 will be able to sell their work in the form of a “Game-Key card,” which looks like a traditional physical game cartridge, but does not store game data. Instead, when they are inserted into the Switch 2 slot, the card will automatically display instructions on how to download the game in question. The Switch needs an internet connection and enough space to store the game files in the system memory or on a microSD Express card. Once the download is complete, Switch 2 can launch the game whenever the game key card is inserted into the system. Once the game is downloaded, the console no longer needs an internet connection, unless the game requires an internet connection to play. From GameSpot, we learned that the game key cards will not be automatically linked to a separate console or to a user’s Nintendo account.
This is an unusual hybrid approach, and with many hybrid concepts, you get the best and worst of both worlds. The Switch 2, for example, will have very limited storage, and loading game key cards will eat up that limited space. And unfortunately, game key cards don’t protect customers from the day when Nintendo might decide to shut down the servers for the Switch 2, as it did with other legacy devices like the Wii U and 3DS in 2024. If and when this happens, the game key cards will become effectively useless.
But there are also positive aspects, especially when it comes to sharing or reselling games. We already knew that Nintendo would have a GameShare option that supports local multiplayer with a single purchased copy of the game, while virtual game cards offer digital sharing (albeit in a confusing way). Adding key cards to a game that aren’t tied to a Nintendo account makes it easy to pass the game on to a friend when you finish it, or resell it and get back part of the $80 price for major releases.
