Nintendo's new Game-Key Cards for the Switch 2 have certainly stirred strong emotions. Last month's Switch 2 reveal confirmed that some new game cards won't contain full games but will instead provide a download key. Nintendo later specified that Switch 2 Edition titles include both the game and any upgrades on the cartridge.
The Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are physical products that only include a download key for your chosen title. This means there’s no actual game data on the card itself, so you'll need to download the game after inserting it. To help buyers, the packaging for each Game-Key Card is clearly marked on the lower front of the box.
Some games, such as Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster, come with this game-key disclaimer. However, others like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not. Meanwhile, the massive 64 GB version of Cyberpunk 2077 comes on a full-capacity cartridge.
Reaction to Nintendo’s Game-Key Cards has included strong comments from Nightdive Studios CEO Stephen Kick, who said: "Seeing Nintendo do this is a little disheartening. You would hope that a company that big, that has such a storied history, would take preservation a little more seriously."
In an interview about the new Nintendo San Francisco store, IGN asked Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser whether physical games remain a significant part of Nintendo's strategy or if Game-Key Cards represent the future.
“In the immediate future, physical games are still a key part of our business,” Bowser stated. “We deeply value our relationships with retailers, and we want to ensure they have products available for their customers.”
Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes
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Bowser further explained the motivation behind Game-Key Cards, noting that they allow third-party publishers to release larger, more ambitious games on the Switch 2.
“Our goal for the Nintendo Switch 2, much like with the original Switch, is to offer the most extensive and diverse content library possible,” Bowser said.
“This includes our publishing partners. Game-Key Cards enable these partners to bring richer, more immersive gaming experiences to the platform.”
CD Projekt confirmed it used the highest-capacity 64 GB Switch 2 cartridge for Cyberpunk 2077, which is the maximum size available for all Switch 2 game cards. Meanwhile, Nintendo’s own first-party titles remain relatively small in file size.
Nintendo Switch 2 game storage sizes:
Mario Kart World: 23.4 GBDonkey Kong Bananza: 10 GBNintendo Classics: GameCube app: 3.5 GBSuper Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Jamboree TV: 7.7 GBKirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Star Crossed World: 5.7 GB
Almost all third-party physical games announced so far for the Nintendo Switch 2 are Game-Key Cards. As Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research & Insights at Niko Partners, noted, this focus could strain the eShop servers around the console’s June launch as players rush to download their purchases.
“Game cards are significantly more expensive than optical discs, and costs increase with each additional gigabyte,” Ahmad explained, outlining the publisher perspective.
“Production also takes time to ramp up for various storage capacities. Digital-only or lower-capacity physical releases offer better margins for publishers, especially since digital sales now represent the majority of the market.”
Christopher Dring, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of GamesIndustry.biz, described the Game-Key Cards as "essentially gift boxes for Christmas or birthday presents."
“Ultimately, factors like fewer dedicated game stores, rising manufacturing expenses, declining interest in physical media among younger audiences, and sustainability efforts all point toward a digital future,” Dring added.
For more insights, you can read IGN’s complete interview with Doug Bowser about the Nintendo San Francisco store and the Switch 2.
