Switch 2 publishers quietly step away from "real" physical game carts

Many Switch 2 launch titles will appear on Nintendo’s new game-key cards, which look like real cartridges but contain no software – how consumers will respond to them remains to be seen.

[Neonridr]

I'm not surprised given how much cheaper it will be for devs to go this route. The only bonus to this type of game vs last gen is the card can be sold or re-used on different hardware. The codes in boxes from Switch 1 titles were even worse because they were restricted to a single account.

that being said, I wish devs wouldn't do this. Seeing games like Indiana Jones coming on a disc and being a partial game is also pretty dumb. Wish devs wouldn't be so lazy, we never used to see these sorts of things in the good old days.

[CrimsonWing69]

Hasn’t this been a thing since last gen? I know like with PS4 games it was. Not sure if Switch games required downloads.

[Good-Smurf]

Maybe to Xbox One due to them chose not to use higher capacity Blu-ray discs.
But on PS4 at least to my collection none of them required internet or game keys to download parts or full game.
Pretty sure overwhelming majority of PS4/PS5 disc games are fully on disc.
If Nintendo gets away with this and then some, then you'd better be ready to get used to not owning games from all parties involved.
Microsoft's already leading the way with their over reliance on Game Pass and now Nintendo are doubling down on game key cards with many 3rd party publishers happily embracing the idea.
This leaves only Sony left to play the physical cards right.

[ravens52]

No Crimson, I have over 100 physical ps4 titles and about 90 ps5. All my ps4 and ps5 games work offline, besides the live service ones obviously.

[Rancegamerx]

Developers do not bear the costs of producing physical game media, such as disks or cartridges. These expenses, including manufacturing and distribution, are usually covered by the publisher. Additionally, if a publisher is already investing in the production of thousands or even millions of game boxes, the marginal cost of including a 10-cent disk or card (possibly less but not much more) is relatively insignificant in the overall budget. So the only reason not to include the game is greed and anti-consumerism.

[QuantumMechanic]

While the marginal cost of optical discs is on the order of US$1, the marginal cost of cartridge media is on the order of US$10. That's on top of the ~US$10 royalty paid to the platform-holder.

[Jolska420]

This is gonna happen. Just let it shower over us

[andy85]

Or not? The more people resist and buy physical the longer physical goes on for. My day one games would go from £5-10 to £60-70. I'm resisting.

[MetroidFREAK21]

And I won't support a single release like this. Absolute garbage

[garos82]

agreed the time to make a stand is now. im happy to support the titles i love and even though it hurts me i will not be buying sf6 for example , even though i want it

[MetroidFREAK21]

If a game key card release gets a proper physical release on the PS5, I'll go that route

[Profchaos]

Of course companies chose this because they retain ownership at the end of the day.

Meaning the game can be resold to players in a generation or two as their old carts are now useless it's not like they own a SNES or N64 cart where the publisher can't revoke it.

[rlow1]

No wonder they have been going around and suing everyone. They want full control as do all these companies. So they can keep selling remasters after remasters to the public.

I was hoping for better, but not surprised.

[Yi-Long]

This has killed pretty much all my interest in the Switch 2.

[Juiceup]

WTF

[Kassanova07]

Don't support this crap. They are really trying to put an end to physical with this and their half assed Deluxe editions containing a steel case with a digital download key for example. This is what every publishers want.

[jjb1981]

Arrrrrr!

[gold_drake]

id say very poorly, especially if ur on the go and have no inrernet.

but i wonder if most vames just dont fit on the cartridge anymore.

[garos82]

i too will low key walk away from purchasing "game key cards"
some profit is better than no profit to all the publisher maybe lurking in the comment sections

[PRIMORDUS]

Still not sold on Switch 2, and this further puts me off. This is my Switch collection, most games I bought used off ebay, while not a big collection, I'm more than happy with it: https://postimg.cc/crk8K57y Take this option away and I will not buy and just take what on want on my gaming PC. If buying isn't owning piracy isn't stealing.