Switch 2 games aren't included on the game-key card, so you’ll have to download it before you can play.
Posted by bad1o8o@reddit | hardware | View on Reddit | 56 comments
chicken101@reddit
There are two types of game cards now-- regular and key. This already happened on the original switch since some games required you to download addition files to play.
Your title is confusing since it makes it seem like no games will be included on the physical card.
Squade_Trompeur@reddit
https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2025/04/02/game-key-card-warning-1743626715117.png
GamerSaps@reddit
yeah, those specifically require the download, they are not the norm atm
catfight_animations@reddit
Thank you for clarifiyng, I was going to have a hEART ATTACK
erwan@reddit
To be honest with 0-day patches many physical games already work this way but in a more sneaky way. At least those "game key" cards are honest about what they are.
thesergent126@reddit
It's pretty much a "banner saga trilogy" type of deal, where the first game was on the game card but you needed to download the data for the other two
ProudNet@reddit
Okay so how do I buy a physical copy of the new Mario Kart game that I know with 100% certainty will work fine in 20 years?
chicken101@reddit
You can't. But this is nothing new for online games-- any online game for the original Xbox doesn't work fine now. The servers are down.
JPSWAG37@reddit
Ahem
HaMMeReD@reddit
Mario kart does have local single and multiplayer, so I think the question is more along the lines of "how will I know that will work" and not so much the servers/online.
MegaOrvilleZ@reddit
So I'm guessing that there will be Switch 2 games with the games fully on the actual cart, and there will be some other Switch 2 games with the game key?
Conjo_@reddit
Yeah, presumably big games or ones where the publisher wants to save costs as much as possible will be like that.
Currently it is known that Street Fighter 6 (55GB) and Bravely Default (11GB) use these key-cards, but Mario Kart World, Metroid, the new DK game, the Zeldas, and even Cyberpunk have the full game on the card (Cyberpunk being on a 64GB card)
Helpful-Dot-502@reddit
Do you know that for sure? Have a source?
Because I really won't wsnt to buy the Switch 2 if the games are nt complete. Hard to justify the prices as is.
PSYCHOv1@reddit
The covers for Switch 2 physical games specify on the front if it's a Game Key or not.
Conjo_@reddit
They've been showing up for preorder on certain sites.
See walmart for example For Cyberprunk, CDPR made published an article about it
Witty_Championship85@reddit
Oh thank god I thought they were key card only
bad1o8o@reddit (OP)
how do you know with one it is before you buy and insert it?
Conjo_@reddit
did you read the article you posted?
chicken101@reddit
It's written on the packaging-- it tells you it's a key card. You didn't even read the article you linked, did you? There's literally a picture of exactly what it will look like. Lmao
snakeycakes@reddit
so the big IP games like mario kart, its $80 for the digital with the key on the card and $90 for the actual physical?
is that how this is or am i understanding this wrong and evrything is a key?
octagonaldrop6@reddit
I don’t think there will be 2 versions. Depending on the size of the game, it will be sold as a key or the actual files.
snakeycakes@reddit
Yeah, this key thing seems a little crazy to me.
I'm out on this one if you cant get the full physical on a cartridge
C0ntrolz@reddit
I think the same. I will be on board if the exclusive games are on the card. the 3rd party games I can get those on my pc or Steam deck.
alphasquid@reddit
I dont think it's strictly based on size. Bravely Default seems to be a key card game.
WJMazepas@reddit
This is the same thing that happens with Xbox and PS5 games these days
You have a version 1.0 on the disc, but then have to download over 50GB of updates
ProudNet@reddit
You don't seem to understand. That's not even close to the same thing. This isn't 1.0 on the cartridge, it's nothing on the cartridge.
In the scenario you described on Xbox/PS5, you can buy the game, not have any internet, and still play from the disc. In this Switch 2 scenario, you buy the game and without internet you can't play anything, not even 1.0.
WJMazepas@reddit
But that already happens with Switch.
And it's not Nintendo fault here. Its the publishers that don't want to pay for the higher capacity cards for the console.
pandaSmore@reddit
Nintendo could easily make it a requirement that the games be complete on the cartridge.
Entire-Blacksmith382@reddit
I completely agree with this dude
Conjo_@reddit
the cost of that can be a bit too much for certain games/publishers
It's either no physical release, or something like this, which at least allows you to lend/sell/trade it
Entire-Blacksmith382@reddit
Switch 2 is gonna break the bank for sure, and the nintendo Super fans are gonna eat it up. Nintendo is finally gonna destroy our physical games media 😢 RIP. Also, what a physical waste with physical cartridges just to require the internet to download the main data for the game to run, hated that they did that with the mgs collection too
b_86@reddit
Misleading, this is just for some games that don't fit on carts like it already happens in a lot of Switch games. It's also used for GaaS games with physical release where data on the cart might be obsolete out of the box.
alphasquid@reddit
Bravely Default uses a game-key card. I think it could fit on a game card. They are fitting Cyberpunk on a game card.
AirTMZ@reddit
I think it's the opposite. They are putting the big games on the game cards, as expecting a user to download all 64GB of cyberpunk is too much. But then maybe the small games, where really they could just save the money and have it as a fully digital download, will be one of the key cards
ProudNet@reddit
> this is just for some games that don't fit on carts like it already happens in a lot of Switch games
Huh? The Witcher 3 is one of the largest Switch games at \~40gb and you can play it from the cartridge, direct from buying, without needing to download anything.
https://wbgamessupport.wbgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036987854-What-is-included-in-the-Nintendo-Switch-version-of-Witcher-3-Wild-Hunt-Complete-Edition
"All the content listed above is included on a single game card, or digital download. There are no additional downloads required to enjoy the above content."
The reason they do it is to save money, not because the games won't fit on a cartridge.
dparks1234@reddit
It’s a digital game you can re-sell
Any-Neat5158@reddit
If that's the case, I actually LIKE this feature.
I'm very big on physical from the perspective of being more in control of where / how I consume the product. If it's digital only, and the service goes down... internet goes down, whatever.. now I can't play. But I can put my copy of Super Mario 3 into my NES and play whenever I want. I can pop my copy of Pokemon Emerald into my GBA and play whenever I want.
The game key card REMOVES one thing I hate about digital games. You can't resell them / can't buy them second hand.
BUT. The big BUT. If this requires occasional "check in's" or other nonsense in terms of internet activation / registration / whatever.... that's a no no. If I have to put the key card in, then I should be able to play off line with no little gotchas.
Guinness4power@reddit
The site says you will only need an internet connection the first time you boot up the game.
TehMud@reddit
Nah its nonsense overall. We have SD cards perfectly capable of holding the amount of data required of larger games for cheap with the faster reading speeds. The only thing that should require a download is basic updates.
If you buy a physical copy you should own a copy of the game you can play offline anywhere no matter what.
dparks1234@reddit
Shouldn’t require any check-ins since the “empty” physical cartridge acts as the licence.
grilled_pc@reddit
It seems like nintendo is moving away from the online check in requirement the current switch has when playing digital games via the virtual game card system.
I've been caught out before trying to play digital games on my switch and it wanted to "authenticate" first.
bad1o8o@reddit (OP)
only works till nintendo shut down the store
dparks1234@reddit
These titles already existed on Switch 1 in a practical sense due to studios using the cheaper low capacity cartridges alongside a required download
gamesbloke@reddit
Ok. So just to be 100%...
There are some Switch 2 games that will use this key card junk and some Switch 2 games that will still have the game on the actual media no download needed? Actual Switch 2. Not basically Switch 1 with a Switch 2 sticker on it?
The idea of a 'resellable' digital game is potentially a good thing. But this whole situation reeks of DRM-style tactics.
Not gonna lie I was hyped up for Bravely Default remaster. Not so much if it isn't legit physical. Had so much happiness with the 3DS original.
You hope that Japan gets a special edition. Like they did with Breath Of The Wild including all the updates physically.
All BS aside. Nintendo need to get the messaging cleaned up ASAP. Misinformation is already crazy out there. My hype train is still moving forward to June I guess...
Physical until my dying day 😂
Gale82@reddit
If I understand this correctly. It's basically buying a digital game and you have to insert a card to play it.
NeitherStatement1183@reddit
Report Nintendo prices to ftc they will get on Nintendo for it crazy prices. 90 dollars and some games aren't even on card. Fake physical. Pure greed. Remember only when gamers protest does stuff ever change.
bad1o8o@reddit (OP)
When you insert the game-key card, further instructions will be displayed on the HOME Menu. Please follow the instructions to download the game.
Please note: to download the game, you must have enough free space in your Nintendo Switch 2 system memory or microSD Express card. The amount of free space required is indicated on the game-key card packaging.
brokendate@reddit
But it’s downloading it onto the cartridge, right? So after that then it IS a physical game.
emilyabcde1ara@reddit
Nope, it's downloading on your system/micro sd express card. It doesn't download the game onto the cartridge itself.
INITMalcanis@reddit
>seems like Nintendo
Poco_Lypso@reddit
not gonna support this shit.
dabocx@reddit
This is straight up misinformation
pandaSmore@reddit
Will these be the same price as the downloadable Switch 2 games?
Pugs-r-cool@reddit
We already have "physical" switch games that include no cartridge and are just a download code for the eshop inside. This is just a physical version of an eshop code, that you can also resell.
adazaslam@reddit
"Game-key cards are different from regular game cards, because they don’t contain the full game data."
First line from that link.
This already exists on Switch, the packaging says whether it's a code in box game otherwise it'll be on the cartridge.
parolebot@reddit
It looks as though key cards are different than normal game cards, so I hope first party games dont use them.