Nintendo Switch 2 – Several Physical Third-Party Games in Japan Are Using Game-Key Cards

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As Nintendo gears up for the June 5 debut of the Switch 2, they’ve started taking pre-orders not only for the console itself but also for its accompanying games. For physical third-party games, it appears that many of these will utilize the novel Game-Key Card system instead.

According to Gematsu’s findings, it appears that I’ll be getting my hands on third-party games like “Ys X: Proud Nordics,” “No Sleep for Kaname Date,” “Wild Hearts,” and “Street Fighter 6” through Game-Key Cards. That being said, when I slide this card into the Switch 2, it’ll initiate a download of the game itself before I can start playing.

In other words, the physical version of a Switch 2 game using Game-Key Cards instead of traditional cards will explicitly mention this on its packaging. As reported by VGC, games like “Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion” and “Bravely Default: Flying Fairy” are among those that will employ the use of Game-Key Cards.

On the other hand, some third-party games appear to contain all their data within the game cartridge itself, eliminating the need for players to download anything extra. Examples of these are the Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma.

Nintendo described Game-Key Cards as distinct from traditional game cards, since they don’t carry the entire game data themselves. Instead, these cards serve as a ‘key’ to download the complete game onto your system through the internet. Once downloaded, you can play the game by inserting the card into your system and starting it up just like any standard physical game card.

It seems that a significant number of third-party titles are adopting Game-Key Cards, suggesting that this could potentially become the main way for non-Nintendo games to have physical releases in the future. However, neither Nintendo nor publishers like Marvelous or Capcom have yet to speak on this topic.

Earlier this month, Nintendo shared information about their new Game-Key Card system, which they detailed further during a recent Direct broadcast about the upcoming Switch 2 console. As per the company’s announcement, users will need to keep the Game-Key Card inserted in the Switch 2 device even after downloading the game, in order to play it.

It was initially uncertain about how multiplayer gaming on the upcoming Switch 2 would be handled, but Nintendo later confirmed that Game-Key Cards can be used on any console without being linked to a specific device or account. In simpler words, Tetsuya Sasaki, from Nintendo, explained that the key cards will function on the system they are inserted into, and not tied to an account.

Although Nintendo has given assurances that Game-Key Cards will continue to function, they have not clarified if this will still hold true in the future when they might choose to deactivate the servers for the Switch 2’s eShop. Previously, Nintendo discontinued the servers for systems like the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, rendering digital distribution for those platforms obsolete. After terminating multiplayer servers for games on these platforms, it became impossible to buy or download new games on them.

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2025-04-24 18:12