The Nintendo Switch 2 will feature several launch-day titles we’re excited to try, but how you access these games may differ from previous iterations of the console. The Switch 2 supports regular game cards but also game-key cards, which don’t actually contain the full game data. Here’s what you need to know before you pick up Mario Kart World or Metroid Prime 4.
What Is a Game-Key Card?
As Nintendo explains, game-key cards are “your ‘key’ to downloading the full game to your system via the internet.” They come in a case and include cards that slide into the Switch 2, like any other physical release.
You need an internet connection to download the game’s files before playing. After that initial download, you no longer need an internet connection to play, but the card does need to be inserted into the Switch 2. Game-key cards are also not tied to a Nintendo account, so you can use them on other Switches or lend and resell your games. (Nintendo also previewed a Virtual Game Card system that will make it easier to share digital games going forward, too.)
(Credit: Nintendo)
Switch 2 cartridges top out at 64GB, so game-key cards will help publishers with huge games release their titles on a card, Nintendo tells The Verge. The Switch 2 has 256GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD Express cards, up from 32GB on the Switch 1.
The Switch 1 supports a similar concept. If you purchase a game cartridge with multiple titles on it, for instance, one of the games is on the cart but you download the others to the console.
How to Tell If You’re Buying a Game-Key Card
Nintendo provides a helpful indicator on the box, but get ready to squint. As illustrated in the image below, the case shows the game’s rating in the bottom-left corner. Next to that is a key logo and the words GAME-KEY CARD. In very, very small print, it also says how many gigabytes of free space you need and a note: “Full game download via internet required.”
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(Credit: Nintendo)
While we’ve likely moved beyond the days when confused parents couldn’t tell the difference between the Wii and Wii U, Nintendo notes that the Switch 2 “supports both regular game cards and game-key cards,” which leaves room for consumer confusion. You might grab a game you’ve been wanting off the shelf in Target only to get home and realize it’s a game-key card. Sure, the game’s still there, but if physical media matters to you, it could be a dealbreaker.
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Which Games Are Game-Key Cards?
Looking at the listings on Target and GameStop, only a few have game-key packaging, including Square Enix’s Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD and Capcom’s Street Fighter 6 Year 1-2 Fighters Edition. There will certainly be more in the future; the Switch 2 doesn’t launch until June 5.
(Credit: PCMag / Target)
Nintendo seems to be banking on a lot of AAA releases making their way to the Switch 2, including Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Elden Ring, both of which feature pretty hefty file sizes. Cyberpunk 2077 fits on a 64GB cart, so it’s possible more games will be able to have a true physical release, but the game-key card option may be a happy-medium.
About Jason Cohen
Senior Editor, Help & How To
