Some physical Nintendo Switch 2 games will be download-only ‘Game-Key Cards’
By Video games like Bravely Default and Street Fighter 6 will require a download
Nintendo has announced that physical versions of select video games for the new Switch 2 console will be ‘Game-Key Cards’, which will necessitate a download before they can be played.
Inserting the Game-Key Card for any of these titles will display instructions on the Switch 2’s HOME screen on how to download them.
After the download and launching the game for the first time, an internet connection is not required to play the game – just the physical Game-Key Card.
As Nintendo’s support page for Game-Key Card titles details, these download-only games will be clearly marked on the front of the packaging.
This information will also indicate how much free storage is needed on the user’s Switch 2 or microSD card to download and play it.
Two launch window Switch 2 games that appear to be Game-Key Card releases are Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster and Street Fighter 6, according to listings from Australian retailer JB Hi-Fi.
This is not entirely new for a Nintendo system – as Eurogamer points out, LA Noire on the Switch required a 14GB download before it was playable. Many physical copies of current Switch games also primarily include download codes in the packaging.
This could signify a significant shift for collectors of physical Nintendo games, depending on how this trend develops.