Nintendo’s Switch 2 will support both regular game cards and game-key cards. Game-key cards don’t contain the full data and are instead used as a “key” to download the full game to your system via an internet connection.
It’s not the best news for physical collectors when it comes to specific games, and now following Switch 2 software pre-orders going live in Japan, it’s being reported that most third-party releases so far in this region are game-key cards.
This was originally highlighted by Gematsu (via VGC), and as you can see – games like Sonic x Shadow Generations, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut and Suikoden are all listed as requiring the internet to download the full game.
Unfortunately, as already revealed, this isn’t an isolated case – with local listings for games like Street Fighter 6 and Bravely Default also being advertised as “game-key card” titles requiring players to download the full game onto their Switch 2.
One third-party game we do know will be delivered in full on a game card is Cyberpunk 2077, with CD Projekt Red previously confirming it’s using a 64GB card to accomplish this.
You can find out more about game-key cards and how they work in our existing story here on Nintendo Life. Nintendo has also confirmed they won’t be tied to specific accounts: