Nintendo Discusses Switch 2 Game Key Card Format
At Nintendo's 85th yearly meet, the boss Shuntaro Furukawa talked on the new Game Key Card type for the Nintendo Switch 2. He saw these cards as a way for makers to put out big games but kept quiet on sales data or user thoughts about their appeal.
A Way to Deal with Big Game Sizes
A shareholder said that online folks find Game Key Cards "not good" and asked if weak sales could push away other game makers. Furukawa said the format came in due to rising game sizes on the handheld. The other option, a 64GB game card, is too costly for many.
Furukawa said Nintendo aims to "keep working with our third-party makers to back our setup," yet gave no hard facts. This fits what Doug Bowser from Nintendo of America said. He too sees the cards as a way for makers to get their "big and deep titles" to the new device.
What Game Key Cards Do
These cards hold no game info. They only act as a license, needing a game download from the net. The card must be there to play, making it like a digital pass but you can touch it.
New Market Signs and What Players Say
Reports from Game Business and Circana show many of Nintendo's own big first games for the Switch 2 used Game Key Cards. Only Cyberpunk 2077 by CD Projekt RED, not in this format, hit top sales, just behind Nintendo's own games. This hints that full game cards still hold strong charm.
Daniel Ahmed from Niko Partners notes that the Switch 2's bigger 256GB built-in memory and microSD help make downloads easier. Yet, moving away from full physical games is still a big problem. Game Key Cards make it tough for game fans and those with slow or little net access.