Nintendo recently introduced game-key cards with the Switch 2, which do not contain physical copies of the games, but are instead used to trigger downloads for the games. While this system might give some users pause, the company confirms that the game-key cards will not be connected to the user’s Nintendo account.
As Nintendo’s Tetsuya Sasaki explained to Gamespot, “So key cards will start up on the console or system that it is slotted into, so it’s not tied to an account or anything.” This means that it’s possible for the games to be borrowed, rented, or re-sold.
Nintendo has also published a support page detailing how the game-key cards are used. When first inserted into a console, the card will prompt the user to download the game. An Internet connection is only required to download the game, after which the game can be played in offline mode. However, the game-key card must remain slotted in the console for the game to be played, much like a normal physical game.
Apart from not actually featuring the actual games, the Switch 2’s game-key cards are also a departure from another format which Nintendo practices, where game cases only contain a single-use download code for games instead of cartridges. The downloaded games are tied to the user’s Nintendo account, keeping the games from being re-sold.
The confirmation that game-key cards are actually tradeable may come as good news for potential Switch 2 buyers, given the console’s hefty price and the increased cost of its games. It’s also uncertain how the tariffs introduced by the Trump administration could affect the pricing further, especially for the local market.
(Source: The Verge)
