Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards Boost Third-Party Content Depth and Immersion

Nintendo's introduction of Game-Key Cards for the Switch 2 has ignited a significant buzz within the gaming community. When the Switch 2 was unveiled last month, Nintendo announced that certain new Switch 2 game cards would not include the actual game, but instead, contain a key for downloading the game. To clarify, Nintendo confirmed that Switch 2 Edition games would feature both the game and any upgrade directly on the cartridge.

Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are physical cards that solely provide a key for downloading your selected game. This means that upon inserting the card into your Switch 2, you'll need to download the game separately. These cards are clearly labeled at the bottom of the front of their packaging, ensuring consumers are aware of what they're buying.

Games such as Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster feature this game-key card system, whereas Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not. For instance, the hefty Cyberpunk 2077, with a size of 64 GB on the Nintendo Switch 2, comes on a full cartridge.

Reactions to Nintendo's Game-Key Cards have been vocal, with Nightdive Studios CEO Stephen Kick expressing his disappointment, stating, "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 opening of the new Nintendo San Francisco store, IGN questioned Nintendo of America's president Doug Bowser about the future of physical media. Bowser emphasized that, "In the immediate future, physical games are still a key part of our business. And we value our relationships in particular with our retailers, and want to make sure we have products available for them to sell to their consumers."

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

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Bowser further explained the purpose behind Game-Key Cards, stating that they enable third-party publishers to bring larger games to the Switch 2. "When you look at Game-Key Cards, for us, our goal with Nintendo Switch 2 – similar to what we were able to accomplish on Nintendo Switch – is to have the broadest and deepest library of content we possibly can," he said. "And that includes our publishing partners. And Game-Key Cards are a way that our publishing partners are able to bring more content onto the platform, deeper and larger, more immersive content on the platform."

CD Projekt confirmed using the largest available Switch 2 cartridge size of 64 GB for Cyberpunk 2077, setting the maximum capacity for Nintendo Switch 2 games. Meanwhile, Nintendo has kept the size of its first-party games relatively small.

Nintendo Switch 2 game storage sizes:

Mario Kart World: 23.4 GB
Donkey Kong Bananza: 10 GB
Nintendo Classics: GameCube app: 3.5 GB
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Jamboree TV: 7.7 GB
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Star Crossed World: 5.7 GB

Nearly all third-party physical games announced for the Nintendo Switch 2 are Game-Key Cards. Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research & Insights at Niko Partners, noted that this emphasis on Game-Key Cards could strain the eShop during the Switch 2's launch in June as gamers rush to download their games. "Game cards are significantly more expensive than discs (+ increases with each GB)," Ahmad added, explaining why publishers might opt for this approach. "It takes time to ramp up production of multiple storage capacity game cards. Digital games / lower capacity cards offer higher margins for publishers. Digital is the majority of sales."

Christopher Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, likened Game-Key Cards to "basically Christmas/birthday present boxes for wrapping up." He added, "Ultimately, with fewer games retailers, rising manufacturing costs, the fact that younger generations just don’t care, plus the drive for sustainability, all points in one direction for physical media."

For a deeper insight into the Nintendo San Francisco store and the Switch 2, check out IGN's full interview with Doug Bowser.