Nintendo Switch 2 Games to Use Cards in Japan, West

It appears that nearly every third-party Nintendo Switch 2 game released physically in Japan so far is a Game-Key Card, and a similar trend seems to be unfolding in Western markets.

As reported by Gematsu, the launch of Switch 2 pre-orders in Japan shows that all announced third-party physical titles—with the exception of CD Projekt's Cyberpunk 2077—are not full Switch 2 Editions. Instead, they ship on Game-Key Cards, which require an internet connection to download the complete game.

Ys X: Proud Nordics and No Sleep for Kaname Date are also game-key cards in Japan. And retail descriptions for Split Fiction list it as a code-in-a-box. pic.twitter.com/dCTUsTmNQZ

— Gematsu (@gematsu) April 24, 2025

What about the situation in the West? Here, Sega’s Switch 2 titles are also confirmed to be Game-Key Cards. The Walmart listing for Sonic X Shadow Generations, for example, explicitly states this.

In fact, we have identified only four third-party physical Switch 2 games that are not Game-Key Cards: the aforementioned Cyberpunk 2077, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - Nintendo Switch 2; Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma - Nintendo Switch 2; and No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition.

When Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2, it confirmed that some new Switch 2 game cards would not contain an actual game, but rather a key for a digital download. Nintendo later clarified that Switch 2 Edition games include both the game and any upgrades directly on the cartridge.

Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are physical cards that contain only a download code for your chosen game. This means there is no game data stored on the card itself, so you must download the full game after inserting it. Each Game-Key Card case is clearly labeled on the lower front portion of the box, giving consumers immediate awareness of what they are purchasing.

Games like Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster feature this game-key card disclaimer. Others, such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, do not. The expansive Cyberpunk 2077, which requires 64 GB of storage on the Switch 2, is included on a full-capacity cartridge.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

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As noted by Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research & Insights at Niko Partners, this heavy reliance on Game-Key Cards could place immense strain on the Nintendo eShop servers around the Switch 2's launch in June, as fans rush to download their purchased games.

All the Switch 2 bundles come with a download code.

Mario Kart World is 24GB.

Most games come on a game key card and require a download.

The Switch 2 launches globally on the same day.

I am not a religious man, but I ask you all to pray for the Eshop servers on June 5.

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 24, 2025

“Game cards are significantly more expensive than discs (+ costs increase with each GB),” Ahmad added, explaining the publisher's rationale.

“It takes time to ramp up production of multiple storage capacity game cards. Digital games and lower capacity cards offer higher margins for publishers. Digital already accounts for the majority of game sales.”

Christopher Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, even described the Game-Key Cards as “essentially gift boxes for birthday or Christmas presents.”

“Ultimately, with fewer retailers selling physical games, rising manufacturing costs, younger generations showing less attachment to physical media, and a growing push for sustainability, all signs point in one direction for the future of physical releases,” Dring concluded.

Switch 2 pre-orders began yesterday, April 24, and quickly sold out. Now, Nintendo fans are posting fake Switch 2 auction listings on eBay in an effort to overwhelm and disrupt scalper listings.