The game key card strategy for Nintendo Switch 2 may be discouraging sales of physical copies of third-party titles.
The Nintendo Switch 2 game key card for a title requires users to download the full game to their console storage via the internet, and this appears to have led to a decline in sales of physical copies of third-party titles. This has been observed with plummeting game key card prices at various retailers. Those who prefer a plug-and-play experience by having the full game data on the game card are out of luck, as the option to purchase a regular game card isn’t always available. Currently, Cyberpunk 2077 is among the few Nintendo Switch 2 game with the full data available on its game cards, and it’s currently the top-selling third-party title.
Fans have been vocal about their dislike for Nintendo Switch 2 game key cards over social media and various message boards. Members of the gaming enthusiast Reset Era forums voted against the idea of buying buy titles on game key cards across multiple polls, rejecting Nintendo’s strategy of selling a physical game license. Similarly, Reddit users also expressed their disappointment with game key cards, calling it pointless and inconvenient.
Sega recently confirmed (via Genki_JPN) that the physical edition of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds for Nintendo Switch 2 will have the full game on the game card, which means that it won’t be a game key card. This is seen as a sign of hope that third-party publishers and developers will reject game key cards in favor of offering physical versions of their titles on either 64 or 128 GB game cards. Indie titles that have a file size of less than 32 GB can be released on Switch 1 game cards instead of the unpopular game key card option.
Nintendo recently made a survey available to its audiences in Japan, asking for their opinion on game key cards. It’s possible that the company will reconsider its physical game strategy upon evaluation of sales data and survey responses. Last month, the console maker assured investors concerned over its game key card strategy that that it will make efforts to ensure that third-party Switch 2 software is able to sell. The company clarified that the system was adopted because the new console’s internal storage capacity is larger than that of the original Switch.
