Not revealed in today’s Direct, Nintendo has a new wrinkle in store for publishers that opt to sell physical games without the physical component. For anyone looking to sell a “key-in-a-box,” Nintendo has a brand-new option: the Switch 2 Game-Key card. As the name suggests, this will be a Switch 2 cartridge that acts as a key to unlock a downloadable version of the game for your Switch 2. You’ll need to have the game-key card inserted in your console to play, but it won’t have any data on it beyond a download redemption.
The Nintendo support site outlines how this all works, but it’s basically what I just described. Step one is to insert the game-key card into your console. Step 2 will be to wait for the download to finish, as “further instructions will be displayed on the HOME Menu.” Step 3 will be playing the game, which I guess you technically own since you do have some kind of physical trinket stating you do.
On the plus side, this game-key card will allow you to play your downloaded game while offline. I mean, you can already accomplish that with downloadable games anyway, but at least it’s nice to have confirmation. On the downside, this is just a waste of a cartridge all so scummy publishers can have retail space without having to shell out for manufacturing cartridges. I suppose it beats having a piece of paper with a key on it, but it’s also plain ridiculous that we’re entering an era of physical media where the physical part is nebulous.
My biggest fear is that some publishers may take to locking these game-key cards to your Nintendo Account. There is nothing mentioned about that, but I could see it happening. Again, that would be no different to how digital purchases work, but it might conflict with Nintendo’s recently introduced “Virtual Game Card” system. Who knows?
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
