Nintendo All physical third-party Switch 2 game in Japan so far is a Game-Key Card requiring a download

[cm2]

Read from VGC:

“Game-key cards are different from regular game cards, because they don’t contain the full game data,” Nintendo says. “Instead, the game-key card is your ‘key’ to downloading the full game to your system via the internet. After it’s downloaded, you can play the game by inserting the game-key card into your system and starting it up like a standard physical game card.”

As originally pointed out on X by Gematsu, the physical versions of every third-party Switch 2 title currently up for pre-order appears to be a Game-Key Card rather than the full game itself.

VGC has checked out the Japanese online store Yodobashi and can confirm that of the 11 new third-party Switch 2 games currently listed on the site with box art, all 11 of them have a logo on the front of the box designating them as Game-Key Cards.

The full list of games on the site that have the Game-Key Card logo on their packaging is:

• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
• Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
• Raidou Remastered
• Shine Post: Be Your Idol!
• Sonic X Shadow Generations
• Street Fighter 6
• Suikoden I & II HD Remaster
• Survival Kids
• Yakuza 0 : Director’s Cut

Of the third-party games listed on the retailer, only two Marvelous titles – Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma and Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar aren’t Game-Key Cards. These aren’t full Switch 2 games, however – rather, they’re Switch 2 Editions of standard Switch games, containing both the Switch 1 game on the cartridge and the Switch 2 upgrade.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

Ugh, then why even release anything physical? Waste of time and money.

 

[cm2]

Ugh, then why even release anything physical? Waste of time and money.

Indeed. It's stupid.

 

[froggyboy604]

It is unfortunate that 3rd party Switch 2 physical games now need a separate download which is a problem for people with slow or unreliable internet, or don't like waiting to download and install a game.

 

[Artisan Vistra]

I don't think this was a good idea. I feel like this makes almost every purchase easily tracked, with more gatekeeping involved.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

I don't think this was a good idea. I feel like this makes almost every purchase easily tracked, with more gatekeeping involved.

You mean tracked by Nintendo?

 

[Artisan Vistra]

You mean tracked by Nintendo?

Yes, but in a way they already have. Mostly from updates, playtime and digital sales previously. This being partially physical and digital makes it easier to give Nintendo full ownership. Might ruin the resale markets in the future.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

Yes, but in a way they already have. Mostly from updates, playtime and digital sales previously. This being partially physical and digital makes it easier to give Nintendo full ownership. Might ruin the resale markets in the future.

Sadly resale markets have been in decline for sometime now