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Nintendo Switch 2 Game Trend May Upset Physical Game Collectors

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On April 24, 2025

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Summary

Majority of third-party Nintendo Switch 2 games revealed thus far are on Game-Key Cards, not cartridges, raising concerns for physical copy collectors.
Only Cyberpunk 2077 will have game data on cartridge, while other titles like Street Fighter 6 will be on Game-Key Cards.
Concerns are raised about physical copies not containing game data, leaving collectors with useless boxes and potential future playability issues.

Gamers who like purchasing physical copies of games may not be happy when the Nintendo Switch 2 comes out, judging by the pre-order listings of third-party games for the console. A large number of the games for the Nintendo Switch 2 that are now available for pre-order will not contain the actual game data on the cartridge.

The Nintendo Switch 2 already has supply issues, it seems, as the demand in Japan has greatly outweighed the number of consoles that will be available at launch. While it’s unlikely that this development will have a significant impact on those numbers, it may nonetheless disappoint those who want to keep physical copies of games.

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Switch 2 Pre-Orders Are Hitting ‘Historic Levels’

Early data shows that Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are hitting ‘historic levels,’ boding well for the console’s upcoming launch.

When the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct fully detailed the system, it was revealed that some physical copies of games would be arriving on Game-Key Cards, rather than standard Game Cards. Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards don’t actually contain the files for the game, and instead only include a license access key that allows users to download the game from Nintendo’s servers onto their Nintendo Switch 2. This isn’t unheard of in the industry, but now, pre-order listings for new third-party Nintendo Switch 2 games have shown that nearly none of them actually contain the game, with all but one third-party Nintendo Switch 2 game shipping with Game-Key Cards thus far.

Majority of Third-Party Nintendo Switch 2 Games Aren’t on Cartridge

As reported by Gematsu, early listings for third-party games on the Nintendo Switch 2 have begun appearing on Japanese retailer sites. When looking at third-party games for the Nintendo Switch 2 that aren’t Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, of the dozen or so titles that have emerged with box images, only Cyberpunk 2077 seems to actually be included on its cartridge. Titles like Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Street Fighter 6, and Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut are all shipping Game-Key Cards, which only contain the license for their games. However, it’s worth noting that this has been determined by looking at the game boxes, and not all third-party games have revealed their box art, so it’s not clear if the ratio will break down the same way when all third-party games are fully listed.

Nintendo Switch 2 cartridges can support up to 64 GB worth of data, so it’s possible that some of the games coming to the system simply can’t fit on the cartridge. However, considering that Cyberpunk 2077 was able to do so, it seems more likely that the majority of games that are releasing as Game-Key Cards could have instead shipped with the actual game data in the box.

Physical releases of games that don’t actually contain the game data are becoming more common, and it’s something collectors aren’t happy about. Providing that one has good internet speeds, downloading a game isn’t really that big a deal. However, it essentially means that a physical copy is just taking up space, since it serves no real purpose beyond accessing the game’s digital files and confirming that the player has the rights to access the title. Some have also worried about the distant future, hypothesizing that someday the digital distribution platforms could be taken offline, while others have worried about the present, pointing out that some digital games can’t be played without an internet connection.

While it’s possible that this could change in other regions, Nintendo Switch 2 fans probably shouldn’t hold their breath. In addition to securing a Nintendo Switch 2, users may want to ensure that they have good download speeds and additional storage to hold any downloaded games.