We Can't Let Nintendo Forget Its Biggest Switch 2 Sin

It is not unfair to assert that Nintendo has engaged in some frankly outrageous anti-consumer practices over the past few years. It has clamped down on fan-made projects, limited access to soundtracks to paywalled apps, released a physical device that requires an online subscription to use, launched endless rounds of litigation against competitors, patented blatantly basic game concepts and mechanics, created arbitrary scarcity to boost sales, and so much more. Of course, Nintendo is a business first and foremost, with the primary goal of making as much money as possible. Yet, some of its decisions risk truly losing the customer base that brings it the money it covets so much.

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One key decision it made for the Nintendo Switch 2 feels particularly anti-consumer and, frankly, not particularly business efficient. The baffling move has not only annoyed fans but has seemingly only hurt the sales of certain games. I am, of course, referring to the introduction of Game Key Cards, a truly mind-numbingly bad concept that has resulted in Nintendo fans turning against the Switch 2. However, as much as the anger and vitriol towards it blossomed during its initial announcement, it feels as if we’ve somewhat quietened down. That has to change, as this is one sin we cannot let Nintendo simply sweep under the rug and forget.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Cards Make No Sense

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Cards, in theory, allow both third and first-party developers to put games larger than 64GB onto a physical cartridge, enabling them to still cater to physical collectors. However, in practice, it absolutely does not work. Game Key Cards merely grant owners access to a download link via the eShop. This means you’re tied to the physical need to insert the cartridge despite basically running a digital game. Crucially, you also cannot play it offline initially, as it requires you to both download an enormous 64GB+ file and then be online when you first access it. Essentially, you’re burdened with the minor inconvenience of physical media and the lack of true ownership, thanks to it being an ostensibly digital product. Simply put, no one wins.

As aforementioned, this isn’t Nintendo’s worst anti-consumer practice, but considering that, according to Nintendo’s own FY26 earnings report, over 50% of game sales are physical, it is extremely damaging. That number, for reference, is likely much higher when DLC and expansions are taken out of the picture, as they are factored into the overall digital sales, which accounted for 50.4% of total software sales. However, as baffling as it is, it is also somewhat understandable that Nintendo would implement such an inherently flawed product. It, evidently, has a huge audience of physical collectors to cater to and a cartridge incapable of storing the ridiculous file sizes of modern games. Game Key Cards fix that issue.

Game Key Cards May Not Be Selling Well

When the Nintendo Switch 2 was first released, third-party games surprisingly struggled to sell. Many chalked this up to the fact that the majority of these titles had been available on other platforms for a considerable amount of time, making their sudden launch on the Switch 2 somewhat redundant. That would be unequivocally true if it weren’t for the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 sold exceptionally well on the Switch 2. Of course, there are a number of factors that could have caused such success, but chief among them is the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 didn’t launch on a Game Key Card. Rather, it had a genuine physical cartridge with the game and DLC included on it.

It appears, then, that the commercial failure of a lot of third-party titles came down to their use of a Game Key Card. The gaming public is clearly against the notion, and even developers capable of garnering a physical launch are wearing their inclusion of a genuine cartridge as a badge of honor. There seems to be a rejection of this physical-digital-hybrid, especially as it serves little purpose to either those who prefer digital releases or physical collectors. Refreshingly, Nintendo surveyed fans on Game Key Cards a little while ago, likely to gauge their desire to buy one, which could, in theory, lead to their being phased out.

However, that may not be the case, at least any time soon. While Game Key Cards have evidently affected third-party sales in the past, the recent release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade sold out its physical editions at most US retailers as well as in Japan, despite being a Game Key Card version. Additionally, the first-party title Pokémon Pokopia has been announced to be a Game Key Card release, despite former Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser promising that Nintendo wouldn’t use Game Key Cards for first-party releases. Clearly, there is not only a market for them, but Nintendo is keen to push them as far as it can and see if it can normalize Game Key Cards as a viable physical option.

Nintendo Cannot Keep Using Game Key Cards

Nintendo cannot continue to supplement real physical releases with Game Key Cards, especially if it is interested in retaining its high physical sales and game preservation as a whole. I completely understand that, in general, the popularity of physical media is dwindling. Xbox has all but abandoned the format, and PlayStation, while still catering to it, likely sees it more as a niche. However, not only is there clearly still a significant market for it on Nintendo platforms, but it remains one of the only ways we can ensure that we both retain ownership of the products we buy and preserve those that are inevitably delisted from storefronts.

Nintendo’s closure of its previous console’s eShops has resulted in the loss of numerous digital-exclusive titles. Of course, if you had bought them prior to their being delisted, you can still access them, but anyone born after that point, who has only just started to get into video games, or missed out on that console generation for one reason or another, has no way of accessing them. I’m not advocating for every game to get a physical release as that’s impractical and, in many cases, impossible. However, while it’s understandable for the smaller digital-exclusive games to lack a physical release, AAA titles from large publishers should not also be exempt from producing a genuine physical product.