Nintendo Switch 2 Games in Japan Mostly Use Game-Key Cards, Similar Trend in West

It has come to light that nearly all physical third-party games for the Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan are being released as Game-Key Cards. This trend appears to be mirrored in Western markets as well. According to Gematsu, pre-orders for the Switch 2 in Japan revealed that all physical third-party titles, except for CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 and those labeled as Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, are shipped on Game-Key Cards. This means that these games require an internet connection to download the full game.

Examples of such games in Japan include Ys X: Proud Nordics and No Sleep for Kaname Date, both of which are Game-Key Cards. Similarly, Split Fiction is listed as a code-in-a-box. In the West, Sega's Switch 2 games, such as Sonic X Shadow Generations listed on Walmart, follow the same pattern.

Only four third-party physical Switch 2 games have been identified as not being Game-Key Cards: 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 was confirmed that certain new Switch 2 game cards would not contain the actual game but rather a key for downloading it. Nintendo clarified that Switch 2 Edition games would include both the game and any necessary upgrades on the cartridge itself.

Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are physical cards that contain only a key to download the chosen game. This means there is no actual game data on the card, and an internet connection is required to download the game once the card is inserted. Each Game-Key Card case is clearly labeled on the lower front of the box, providing a clear indication of what is being purchased.

Games such as Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster include this game-key card disclaimer, while others like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not. The sizable Cyberpunk 2077, at 64 GB on the Nintendo Switch 2, comes on a cartridge.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research & Insights at Niko Partners, noted that the reliance on Game-Key Cards could place significant strain on the eShop servers around the Switch 2’s launch in June, as fans rush to download their games. Ahmad also mentioned that game cards are significantly more expensive than discs, with costs increasing with each gigabyte, and that digital games and lower capacity cards offer higher margins for publishers.

Christopher Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, described Game-Key Cards as essentially being "Christmas/birthday present boxes for wrapping up." He pointed out that with fewer game retailers, rising manufacturing costs, the younger generations' indifference to physical media, and a push for sustainability, the trend leans heavily towards digital distribution.

Switch 2 pre-orders began on April 24 and sold out quickly. In response, some Nintendo fans have taken to posting fake Switch 2 auctions on eBay in an effort to flood the site and counteract scalper listings.