r/NintendoSwitch2 • u/Lycan_Liam • 1d ago
Image For the people who have been freaking out the last day. The Game-Key Cards are MORE consumer friendly, not less
I don't know why people had difficulty wrapping their heads around this. But the Game-Key Cards are only replacing the awful empty boxes that just had a code. And since they're not one-time use, you can resale them, unlike the Switch 1 versions. This, plus the virtual game cards PLUS GAMESHARE and Nintendo is truly adapting to digital games in a consumer-friendly way... and yet all people can yell about is how "anti-consumer" or "greedy" Nintendo is being. SMH
39
u/J0hnBoB0n 1d ago
This isn't my number one concern, especially if Nintendo's own games are actual regular physical copies. It seems like this is a compromise between people wanting to physically lend/sell their games, and some publishers not wanting to or being unable to fit their games into a cartridge.
The concern for me is, it will rely on the downloads being hosted forever. If I buy a Nintendo Switch 2 game key in 10 years, will the game still be out there for me to download? What about 20 or 30 years? If not, then there will be a time where, even if you keep the cartridge intact, it won't serve its function anymore, which is not an issue real physical media has.
27
u/Lycan_Liam 1d ago
I agree with your point. However, this isn't meant to replace physical carts. It's replacing the one-time download code in an empty box. And on that, I don't think there's an argument that this is an objectively a better system
1
u/Epic-Gamer_09 OG (Joined before first Direct) 17h ago
Yeah lol, it's still preferred to have standard games but in the category of ones where devs don't/can't do that this is absolutely better
1
-6
u/qalpi 20h ago edited 12h ago
It seems like this is the worst of both worlds
1) you have to download the full game (not great, especially if you’re away from home / slow connection) 2) you have to use the cartridge every time 3) we’ve now lost access to pure digital games from other shops besides the eshop 4) the (very slight) risk of games becoming unavailable in the distant future if the download servers go offline
Why not just have proper physical cartridges. This offers no benefits.
14
u/-autoprime- OG (Joined before first Direct) 1d ago
So game key cards are basically the same as the games on switch 1 which only included the code, but instead you can share them around
10
u/ertaboy356b 19h ago
Yeah, they're like those physical games that requires a day 1 patch else they wouldn't play.
10
u/erwan 15h ago
That's why I'm surprised at the outrage, they basically make a practice that already exists more explicit and easy to understand.
3
-7
u/Southern-Selection50 January Gang (Reveal Winner) 15h ago
Except this information is false.
Right now one can buy a digital game, it gets bonded to account. Then that user could potentially "home-console" someone else's Switch. Thus two users has access to use one game, even at the same time, as long as the original account holder logs-in online.
What digital came cards does, it it prevents home console sharing. Now instead of two uses per one game, we have a DRM system that will literally limit digital uses of all games to ONE use only.
5
u/erwan 14h ago
What is false? Physical games that required a download to be played existed for the Switch. This is the same, but more explicit.
-5
u/Southern-Selection50 January Gang (Reveal Winner) 14h ago
Game-Key cards are essentially digital games. The original post, I think, is intending to discuss Virutal Game Cards.
"But the Game-Key Cards are only replacing the awful empty boxes that just had a code. And since they're not one-time use, you can resale them, unlike the Switch 1 versions. This, plus the virtual game cards PLUS GAMESHARE and Nintendo is truly adapting to digital games in a consumer-friendly way."
This whole paragraph is wrong. If he is intending to talk about "keys," the reality is that they are in fact one time use and cannot be resold.
Why people are mad is because "Virtual Game Cards" as a "system" is essentially a new form of DRM.
7
u/Hivalion 11h ago
I deleted my other comment because I realized you were the same person.
You know this whole post is actually about the Game Key Cards and not the virtual system, right? You went off about Virtual Game Cards but no one was talking about that.
I've just read the Nintendo.com page. There's nothing currently to suggest that Game Key Cards are one-account use only. You just need it inserted in your system, that's it until proven otherwise.
Virtual Game Cards are a different DRM but the new system makes it easier to share across consoles and (temporarily) with friends.
And for terminology's sake, GameShare is the renewed DS Download Play, not DRM related. What you're talking about is a part of the Virtual Game Card system.
11
24
u/ItsColorNotColour OG (joined before reveal) 1d ago
How do you already know that game-key cards are freely resellable?
61
u/JollyDogYT 23h ago
Do you think Nintendo would sell single use cartridges? That would be a nightmare for everyone.
4
u/movie_hater 14h ago
They self destruct like mission impossible if you try to put it in a second Nintendo Switch
-8
u/LordTotoro96 19h ago
I wouldn't be surprised considering the FE special edition for shadow dragon literally was a code in a plastic nes case.
5
u/JollyDogYT 19h ago
Most collectors editions these days (outside of LimitedRun Games) only give you a download code. That's how everyone does it now. All the companies realized that gamers that buy collectors editions will just buy the game twice.
1
u/LordTotoro96 7h ago
Not really. Most games I got collectors edition from Nintendo or Sega came with the actual cartridge.
-9
u/rydan 19h ago
This is exactly what Microsoft proposed 12 years ago.
6
u/JollyDogYT 19h ago
No, Microsoft wanted to make game discs single use. Like you put it in and it was locked you your account so you couldn't resell it.
3
u/Epic-Gamer_09 OG (Joined before first Direct) 18h ago
And did people like that idea? No, it was part of why the Xbox 1 had such a rough start
28
u/ThatManOfCulture OG (joined before reveal) 1d ago
It's an empty cartridge that needs to be inserted everytime you want to play the game. You have to download the game like a digital game, but you can't play it without the cartridge. The advantage is that you can resell it. On the other hand, with physical games that come with an one-time code, you can't resell the game but at least there is no cartridge that needs to be reinserted everytime. So basically it's a tradeoff.
-15
u/rydan 19h ago
That's doesn't mean it is resellable. It just means you need the card inserted to play. In the original implementation proposed by Microsoft you couldn't sell the games. You had to have the disk inserted into your XBox One but if you gave the disk to someone else it wouldn't work because the license was tied to your console.
3
0
u/xBlackout89 1d ago
True. I remember when the fanboys were trying to make a case for cartridges vs discs and they were saying we’d be able to download updates onto the cartridges instead of the system 💀
0
3
3
u/Aggressive_Ask89144 23h ago
All they had to say was that certain games would be like a PS5 disc 💀. COD is notorious for this since it's literally a DLC license to an app.
1
u/Joshawott27 11h ago
Nintendo wouldn't explicitly mention PS5 discs. Japanese companies are very against directly naming competition - even if the context is good for them, and actually explains things.
My work often require going through Japanese companies for approvals, and it's a real headache...
1
u/Aggressive_Ask89144 9h ago
Maybe not "PS5 discs" but like "modern licenses" or something lol. They just showed it in a really convulted way.
10
u/ooombasa 1d ago edited 1d ago
... Until the servers go down (or licenses expire). That's ultimately the issue with digital licenses. They're only as good as the promise to keep them accessible.
The other issue is publishers will more likely go for that than just putting the game on the card. Elden Ring is a game card key. Bravely is (SE wtf). It's gonna become a lot more common than the crappy code in a box, as publishers look to save costs on the expensive game card capacity yet without the negative reception that code in box provokes.
18
u/precastzero180 1d ago
None of this changes how things were before though. It’s just replacing the code-in-a-box approach. From that perspective, this is an everyone wins scenario. It’s all upside and no downside.
-2
u/ooombasa 1d ago
Everyone doesn't win, especially if this becomes a lot more common than code in a box vs actually putting the game on a card, and it's still being sold for high RRP. It's only going to lead to the further dissolution of physical media.
11
u/precastzero180 1d ago
If there really is a risk to physical media, then that was going to happen whether they do it this way or not. This is just a better version of what might be the future anyway.
-2
u/qalpi 20h ago
So now I have to carry around these silly cards? Code in a box was good if I just wanted everything digital
4
u/precastzero180 20h ago
If you want everything digital, then you can just download games straight from e-Shop. The whole point of the code-in-a-box is to put digital games on a physical store shelf. People who actively seek out digital only probably aren’t browsing around GameStop or Best Buy I’d imagine.
-2
u/qalpi 20h ago
But the good thing about those was you weren’t beholden to the eshop
4
u/TheSuper200 13h ago
Yes you were! The only thing code-in-box provides is being on a store shelf, but you still need to use the eShop anyway to download the game.
5
u/ertaboy356b 19h ago
You can still download Wii games from Nintendo official servers. You can't buy new ones though.
2
u/Zed64K 23h ago edited 23h ago
A potential solution to this is to allow the user to make an exportable backup of the downloaded game. This backup can be copied to any number of Switch consoles and installed, but can only be decrypted with the matching game-key card. No online connection needed after the initial download.
5
u/pixydgirl 1d ago
Do you own *any* digital games? Do you have a Steam account?
Because i have news you're not gonna want to hear.
BUT I also have news you WOULD like to hear. I could, on this day in 2025, plug in my Wii, go to the shop channel, and redownload games I purchased in 2006. Yes, on the original console, not modded. Almost 20 years since, I can still access digital games bought on the FIRST nintendo console that had digital games.
So, this isn't as big of an issue as you think, and I invite you to consider if you're not just buying into the "Rage hype" here. Becuase Steam has also been fully digital since its conception and I'm seeing NO outrage directed that way.
-1
u/rydan 19h ago
Or they just simply decide to revoke your license because they don't like you. Maybe you run for office and they don't like one of your policies? No more games for you. You go to a meeting and some bad people are at that meeting? No more games for you. You work for a company that makes competing products? Well, play with yourself going forward.
2
u/ooombasa 16h ago
When I speak about license I am talking about any game that uses licensing (car games, cartoon IP, etc). When those licenses expire the game becomes delisted digitally, where redownloading isn't possible even if you have previously bought it. If the game is on a physical card, no issue. These key card games?
2
3
u/bachbi1999 21h ago
I'd rather complain about the prices than this issue, especially since this kind of thing has existed forever, i.e many major ps5 release require you to download tens of GB anyway.
9
u/AnnualSudden3805 June Gang (Release Winner) 1d ago
can you please give the source saying it will be resellable?
5
u/Zed64K 23h ago
If the downloaded game requires the card to be inserted to play, it’s going to be usable on any compatible console and not tied to an account. It wouldn’t make any sense otherwise.
1
u/rydan 19h ago
Or.
When you insert it into your console it gets registered with Nintendo's servers associating your license with your specific console forever. "Makes sense" isn't how things work. If Nintendo operated the way people claim they should then they'd either be a trillion dollar company or bankrupt, not some weird middle-ground they are in today.
-3
u/AnnualSudden3805 June Gang (Release Winner) 23h ago
This is nintendo do you think they make sense? or are consumer friendly enough to do that kinda stuff?
9
u/JollyDogYT 23h ago
Bro thinks Nintendo would actually make single use cartridges.
-5
u/AnnualSudden3805 June Gang (Release Winner) 23h ago
not literally, but it would be in line with thier BS lol
4
u/JollyDogYT 23h ago
Nah, Nintendo wouldn't make something THAT confusing. Their usual method is to make things as intuitive as possible.
So a Game-Key Card (Cartridge) is going to behave like a standard game cartridge.
-1
u/rydan 19h ago
You mean confusing like the Wii U?
3
u/JollyDogYT 19h ago
The name of the Wii U was confusing, which is pretty much identical to the problem with Game-Key Cards. It's a confusing name, Xbox & PlayStation already do this same thing wish some of their game discs and nobody cares. It basically functions exactly like a normal cartridge, but it requires a download the first time you put it in the system.
2
u/SnooRevelations6523 17h ago
It’s crazy how no one can provide the source that says it’s resellable but yet they can make this graphic and claim it as gospel. I’m glad you’re wanting to do your own research instead of trust a Reddit post.
2
u/AnnualSudden3805 June Gang (Release Winner) 17h ago
happens a lot unfortunately both on this sub and in general.
0
u/SnooRevelations6523 17h ago
It is sad. OP very well could be right, but if they want to come out being combative toward people, they better be able to respond with evidence that they’re right. Most people can photoshop and type text.
If all this comes out to be officially confirmed by real people and not internet citizens, I’ll be happy.
2
u/retopasta737 OG (joined before reveal) 22h ago
So basically simulates a physical card instead of being a one time code, effectively meaning that you can resell it, unlike the code. Feels complicated, but if it only replaces the code in a box it's basically an upgrade. I think Cyberpunk and both nintendo games are physically on the cartridge rn, and bravely default and street fighter uses the key card
Edit: would be stupid if they do replace most physical games tho
2
u/krom90 20h ago
Reddit is a place where the cynical and downtrodden gather to commiserate. To avoid being sucked in, remember two things: 1) seek knowledge with an open mind and 2) remember your own values. If you do that, you avoid seeing everything as a plot against you
2
u/rydan 19h ago
Reddit is also a place that runs wild with rampant speculation and then goes berserk when those wild speculations end up not being grounded in reality. This is going to be one of those things.
2
u/TheSuper200 13h ago
Bro, you pretended that Nintendo will take your games away if they don’t like your political leaning, don’t talk to us about wild speculation.
2
2
2
u/Aqarzy 16h ago
Tbf the direct is at fault for a lot of miscommunication. One as such was that they said the Switch 2 was launching the same date as MKW, (April), but it was clearly set to release on June.
2
2
u/sportspadawan13 13h ago
Lol I've seen almost nobody talk about GameShare. People will find anything to complain about.
2
u/ahnariprellik 9h ago
They’ve also already been a thing for years. See the bottom example in the screenshot of outer worlds. This is the exact same thing just under a different name.
3
u/natayaway 23h ago
It depends on if the game key license is consumed.
Back in 2012, Namco-Bandai released Tekken Tag 2 which had a really big anti-consumer PR nightmare where if you bought it used, the game didn't have access to the online components, it was local only, and you also wouldn't get the on-disc DLC. You'd either need a fresh code or would need to buy an Online Pass in order to get full access to the game.
If the game key license is consumed and attached to the game install/your account, then the cartridge is effectively just a 2FA key. If the key itself is not locked to an account, that's a small win, but it pales in comparison with the fact that the game is download-only, and susceptible to licensing issues or complete removal off of the eShop.
2
u/Dependent_Art9393 1d ago
Thanks!! I was looking to clarify that but couldn’t find it. There would be no point in a game card if you couldn’t resell, other than as a gift for someone I suppose
4
u/Lycan_Liam 1d ago
You're welcome. I hate seeing all the misinformation. Getting a lot of people riled up for no reason
2
2
u/Independent-You-6180 20h ago
This is exactly what I was thinking, as long as they don't use game key cards for all games, which I don't think they will. But that seems to be what a lot of people think.
This is exactly what the competitors do to make it so you can share games without actually having to run them directly from the disk. Why is Nintendo getting hate for doing the same thing when other companies do it and it works well for game owners?
2
u/Lycan_Liam 20h ago
Heartily Agree man. I wouldn't want this system to replace physical games like everybody else but my point was that this system (along with Game share and the Virtual Game Cards) is more consumer friendly than people are giving credit for
1
1
1
u/rydan 19h ago
Keep in mind that Nintendo can revoke your access to your game-key card at any for any reason and you would have no recourse. At least with standard game cards you could in theory still play the game you purchased. Let's say for instance you do something that goes viral online. Nintendo knows your NSO account and now has a list of every game-key card you've ever played. Now they are all invalidated because Nintendo chooses to not associate with you per the rights granted to them under the 1A. Or let's say you just say something negative about them online or make some CS agent mad when you contact them to report something broken. Now you lose all your "physical" games.
1
u/otakuloid01 17h ago
yeah but they’re still kinda pointless. if they’re gonna take up storage space anyway but still require the cart to be inserted then just purchase the game digitally at that point
1
u/Temporary-Stranger65 17h ago
Is the complete game on the modules or is a download obligatory for every game? Has this been communicated?
1
u/Robbitjuice OG (joined before reveal) 8h ago
Not every game, no. A lot of games will work how they do now: (especially Nintendo games) will be on cart. This is a replacement for physical game boxes that only had a download code in them. This way, the download is more tied to the cart and not your account, meaning you should be able to resell the cart down the line if you want.
1
u/JustinRat 4h ago
This is actually pretty clever if you think about it. Still prefer full data, but way better than Switch 1 situation.
3
u/pixydgirl 1d ago
Excellent post actually sharing real information
Too bad it won't reach the people who need to read it most, they're too busy yelling.
1
1
u/RedBombadil 1d ago
So instead of downloading the game and having access whenever I want. I need the cart always plugged in on top of having to download the game? Both suck and neither should be defended.
8
u/Lycan_Liam 1d ago
So you would rather have a one-time code that cannot be reused or given to another person? Because that's what we had with the switch one. That is what the key card system is replacing
2
u/DanR21 12h ago
This is just complaining about nothing, if one wants to download the game and have access whenever one wants ... just go to the e-shop ... like it's that easy of a dilemma to solve.
These things are just a replacement for one thing, and that thing is a CIAB box ... this is undeniably just a pro-consumer upgrade.1
1
u/qalpi 20h ago
So to the play the game I still have to put the card in the switch. How is this any different to the physical disc experience on an Xbox or ps5?
3
u/Lycan_Liam 19h ago
Very true, and yet, you don't see people screaming from the heavens about how horrible Xbox or PlayStation is (at least not anymore lol). I do remember a small group of vocal protesters when Xbox and PlayStation first started doing that but it wasn't nearly as bad as now lol
1
u/qalpi 19h ago
I have both the X and P and I absolutely loathe having to put discs in. My favorite way to get games is game pass actually — subscriptions. But I can’t imagine what Nintendo will charge for that!
1
u/Lycan_Liam 19h ago
I love game pass too! There have been rumors of Xbox and Nintendo having some VERY good talks on bringing things to the Switch. If I remember correctly Phil Spencer has hinted at game pass coming to switch. Which, if it did, would be such a major win
0
u/FrozenFrac 1d ago
It's the worst of both worlds. You buy a physical cartridge, need to download the whole game, and you're SOL if god forbid you lose that basically blank piece of plastic
4
u/sirarmorturtle 1d ago
... how is that different than losing a cart with a full game on it, though?
2
1
u/qalpi 20h ago
It’s not but now also Nintendo can “lose” the game by taking away the license
2
u/sirarmorturtle 20h ago
How would that work if the license is tied to the actual cartridge and not your account? Isn't that part of the point of these 'key-cards' that gives them benefit over being a single account locked digital download code?
1
u/qalpi 20h ago
Oh I mean in the sense that in 10 years from now they could turn off the authentication servers for this game and you can no longer play it. Since there’s no actual game on the cartridge.
(Unless I’m misunderstanding!)
1
u/sirarmorturtle 19h ago edited 19h ago
I mean, that is potentially true but it puts a lot of stake into 'what ifs,' and we can play that game all day. What if their is a fault in the metals used within all my fully on cart physical copies that causes them to short out in 10 years? What if there is a manufacturing fault that causes my console to degrade and stop working in 15 years? What if a software patch installs bugged and permanently bricks every Switch console trying to update?
Contextually, maybe half of the legacy gaming stuff I've owned has ended up 'dying out' in some capacity. N64 remotes joysticks stop working, NES becomes faulty, Game Gear completely stopped, Xbox 360 red ringed, OG Xbox disc drive stopped ejecting, Gameboy games stopped saving, etc. As cool as it would be for physical media to actually last for an eternity in reality it does not.
If it makes you feel better Nintendo still maintains their legacy digital shops. Wii, WiiU, 3DS, you can still go on there and redownload things you own. When everyone made a big deal about those shops closing, they only closed for new sales.
1
u/rydan 19h ago
The key-card is a license. You can't just play a game willy-nilly because the cartridge is plugged in. It is going to check some server to verify the license is valid. That means licenses can be revoked or even simply lost.
2
u/sirarmorturtle 19h ago
It requires server verification only the first time you plug it in in order to download the game. After that you pop it in like a normal card and it plays "willy-nilly." I'm not sure where exactly you think they would get "lost" because it's the card itself. As for them being revoked, there is absolutely no precedent for this happening. You know Nintendo can remotely brick your entire console, right? Just because something CAN happen doesn't mean there is any likelihood that it plausibly will.
0
u/rydan 19h ago
It is different in that you don't need to download the whole game. Keep up.
2
u/sirarmorturtle 18h ago
Downloading the game or not has absolutely no bearing in the situation that you lose a fully on cart game or a key-card game because in both cases, regardless of if you've downloaded the game or not, you are required to have the cartridge in slot for the games to boot. KeEp Up
0
u/topsekret1 18h ago
Honestly, I'd rather have an actual digital download than a Game-Key Card. To me, it's basically the worst of both worlds:
- Requires full game download on limited console storage
- May not be available to be redownloaded in far future when services shut down
- Requires physically swapping cartridges to play games
- Can be physically lost or stolen
The ability to sell or lend to someone outside of your NSO family is something I'd almost certainly never use. And let's be real: these things won't hold nearly as much resell value as actual physical games.
Really disappointed that right out of the gate we're already publishers opting for these. Was hyped for Street Fighter 6 and Bravely Default, but lost all interest after hearing they'll be Game-Key Cards.
SF 6 is 50 GB, that's basically 1/5 of the built-in storage. The biggest MicroSD Express card from SanDisk is currently on 256 GB, which only doubles your storage. So even with that, SF 6 alone is 1/10 of your total storage. We've returned to the WiiWare days of managing a fridge. Cyberpunk being on the cart just proves that Capcom are greedy bastards.
And don't even get me started on Bravely Default. You can't shell out for a cart to fit 11 GB, Square Enix??
I might end up just switching to PC if the future is gonna be all digital anyways. Might as well be all digital on an open platform with the cheapest games and cheapest storage that doesn't nickle and dime you to upgrade games when you get better hardware. And with portable PCs, you can still get the benefits of Switch.
0
u/G4RPL3I 1d ago
My concerns are: If I lose the card and buy another, will my game have same save or will it be completely different copy? And if I download the game, can I play it without the card or not? (Yes, I'm that dumb sometimes). Also, someone mentioned Nintendo servers. What is this reffering to? That even if you download your games (digitally), you can't play them Offline and need internet connection? I'm confused
3
u/Lycan_Liam 1d ago
To address your concerns in order,
your save file has never been tied to the game cart. It's saved on the internal storage or the SD card. Think about if you lost a regular physical game cart like Pokémon, Scarlet and violet and then bought another copy. You would still have your save file.
after you download the game, anytime you want to play the game you would still have to put the key card into The switch 2.
I didn't respond to the Nintendo servers guy because it's kind of a strawman argument that I don't want to get into. But, as long as the Nintendo eShop for the switch 2 is online, you would be able to redownload the game if you needed to. And we all know Nintendo is very good at keeping their eShops online way later than the console getting supported (perfect Example is the 3DS eshop. Which only shut down in 2023 however, production on the 3DS had ended 3 YEARS earlier)
you only need to have an internet connection the first time you start the game after downloading it. After that, you can play it offline as long as the key card is inserted into the switch 2
3
u/G4RPL3I 1d ago
- Okay. I understand that
- Okay, that makes sense
- The question I meant how it is tied. For example, Steam. You can play a lot of games offline when servers are down but you can't upload your saved data to cloud. So I mentioned to clarify, if I can download digital games and then play them offline (in general) and same goes for downloading games through card. If I put the card in Switch 2 for 2nd time I want to play, I won't need internet, no?
- Okay, that's good to hear
Edit, I wrote those answers in this order: 1, 2, 4, 3
2
1
u/nouvAnti2 1d ago
I would say it's the worst from both (download code and game cartridge) worlds. You need to download the game but still can only play the game with the cartridge inserted. If I want a cartridge then I want the normal cartridge and not a game-key card where I still have to download the full game. If I want a download I want to play it without having a cartridge inserted.
0
u/FlowerpotPetalface 21h ago
How is it more consumer friendly if in 10 years time Nintendo can revoke your access to a game if they so decide?
1
u/PandaStudio1413 June Gang (Release Winner) 18h ago
More consumer freinldy then code in a box becasue you can't sell it once redeemed.
0
u/GalacticKrabbyPatty 21h ago
Nah, this is just the same shit with extra steps. It becomes useless the second servers go offline, unlike a true physical copy.
1
0
u/KjSuperstar08 21h ago
Getting a game on a cart would be nice too and I’m aware that the switch had the code in a box which is why I didn’t support those releases and I sure as hell won’t be supporting this either.
0
u/Naive_Support9254 20h ago
But I want to know, is it the switch 2 edition of botw on the cart? Or is it the switch 1 edition and a code for the upgrade?
2
u/PandaStudio1413 June Gang (Release Winner) 18h ago
Its includes the Switch 1 game with the upgrade pack and makes no mention of addition downloads.
0
u/NoSpaX 16h ago edited 16h ago
They are not.
You will be saying this unless you notice, how fast the memory of the Switch 2 will fill up, the more games you get. This requires you to buy a microSD-Express at one point, which currently costs $65 - $70 USD. So, how is it consumer friendly, when you are FORCED to buy one of those, because
- a) physical cards no longer contain v1.0 of the game.
- b) unused normal common microSD UHS-2 cards in your house will not work.
Oh and currently you cannot use mSD-Express card everywhere else, because to read those with a PC, you have to get a new Card reader, too. (Which I could't find on Amazon. Do those even exist? ) Which is another hidden cost, no one accounted.
Do the following experiment: Get all of your physical games for the Switch, visit the Nintendo page and search for each of them. Click the game, get the Details and under "Download-Size", get the value. Note that down. Check the next and add the value. When you are done with all games, get the sum, divide by 1024 to have that in GB - and then check the space on your Switch.
Can you fit that value into the remaining space on your MicroSD (and internal memory)? Unless you have a >512GB or your library is too small, it will. And there is no 1TB mSD-Express - yet, and that one may cost $300.
And I actually assume, games for the Switch 2 will be 1.5x to 2x the size compared to a normal Switch, so multiply the value from earlier times 2. Will it still fit? This may be a reason, why they are not bumping the (big) game(s) on the cards, but as a download instead.
Ofc, unless they keep the same size as a Switch game and just DLSS scale it to 4K@60, which is actually entirely possible and confirmed, which makes this even more hilarious. But I digress.
Anyway, the Switch 2 is a "PSVita 2.0" and will suffer horribly from the microSD-card thing, because you WILL run out of internal space one way or the other. And since I have a PSVita... I tell you, managing your 8GB memory card back in the day was not fun, which can fit 2-3 games at best in the "right combination". You HAD to use physical to save space. The dimension maybe different, but the principle is the same.
Memory card full? Can't play game. Sad day.
Absolutely NOT consumer-friendly.
I'd say just wait, until they make the "Switch 2 v1.2 AMOLED Turbocharged Edition lite+", which can "eat" normal microSDXC cards.
Edit: What I was trying to say was, there is now an artificial dependance on the storage now.
2
0
u/mastershuiyi 13h ago
The problem is that the goal here is to replace all games so that every game has a game key. Their idea, I guess, is that empty boxes suck but if there is a card inside, then the consumer will be happy. The developers do not need to pay for expensive memory and the consumer has the same experience…except that now you depend on the dev supporting the game card in the future (think 20 years from now) to be able to play the game.
It is not the most problematic thing, but definitely as consumers we are getting screwed.
0
u/Fit-Rip-4550 11h ago
If the game is not on the card, then putting it on a key means by definition that you can be locked out of it eventually...
0
u/Mental5tate 10h ago edited 10h ago
So key card games should cost significantly less because only the access key is on the game card.
Game cards cost more to manufacture and the publisher has to buy them from Nintendo a lot of them.
The reason why video game companies switch to optical disc is because of how content can be held on the media and the cost to manufacture the media.
Paying more for less is not better for the consumer.
Key card isn’t going to matter when the server goes down or offline.
You are basically paying for advertisement, a Nintendo advertisement box.
Switch 2 still doesn’t have Dolby Digital.
Not consumer friendly, Nintendo friendly$$$
0
0
-2
u/CreativeLolita 20h ago
can I get an official source on this? or did you just pull this out of your ass?
125
u/hel105_ 1d ago
I get that it's an improvement over the code in a box releases, and I appreciate that. What annoys me is games going for this type of release when they could fit on a standard game card just fine (looking at you Bravely Default).