A physical copy of the game would be easier by a long shot.
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Nintendo Switch 2 arrives June 5th, 2025
- Thread starter Aurelius
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Not just kids. Adults often ebay their old games.
A bit faster maybe (depend on card read speed vs internet speed, I imagine usually the Micro SD would be faster), but I imagine it will be extremely easy, just inserting the game key would do ?
But I imagine that the reason behind the physical key.
Flogger23m
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And with Nintendo games holding their value, it makes a lot of sense. I should look into selling my copy of Zelda & Mario for Switch. Will probably never touch them again.
DukenukemX
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You think it's easier to download the game than to just already have it on the cartridge?
Some games are reaching nearly 100GB which can take a while to download, and while 256GB in the Switch 2 is a lot more than the poultry 32GB from the Switch 1, it can still easily fill up. If you're on the go then you don't want to deal with managing storage space for your games. The cartridge also takes up a slot for no reason as you can just buy it off the store and free up the slot. People who like physical are into collecting, and there's nothing to collect when there's no game. The Nintendo shop that has the game will end up closing in the future, as we've seen in the past.
The reason Nintendo is doing this is because they want to sell you the same game again for the 4th time in the future.
That a strange thing to say from what you quoted, I am not sure how it would work with a steam type purchase licensing instead of a physical key, but I feel for kids the physical keys is easy enough, (it will probably exactly as easy for them if the wifi is setup to do it, for both).
I am not sure what you answering here, is it not the reason people would want a physical key instead of purchasing on the online store the one I gave ? are you disagreeing or agreeing here ? I did not took the question versus why buying just the key vs buying a cartridge with the actual game on it (why would one do that... as it could act as key anyway if you want to install the game on the faster harddrive...)
Not sure how that work, is it not easier to not have to rebuy the game again when sold in this format, I feel like I rebought game less bought on steam than I would have for hardware format, it can update itself naturally, go from the playing hardware update and so on, versus a medium that can change.
It's like buying a copy of a game, but the only thing inside the box is the play disc and not the content disc, which means you've paid an additional $10 for a physical DRM disc but need to wait however many hours for the full game to download.
DukenukemX
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Not sure if you can share games from your Nintendo account like you can with Steam. Got a few family members sharing games off my account. The point is why have a physical key at all? You can't play the game without it. You have to download the game since it's not stored on the cartridge. You also paid $10 more for the cartridge, so why not have the game data on it?
You're assuming it's going to be in this format. Just look at how many times Super Mario 3DWorld has been sold and how often Nintendo raises the price of old games. Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Switch is considered inferior to previous releases, while 3DS and Wii versions can run on a potato through emulation. Switch games are even emulated on the Switch2, so it's not like Nintendo isn't capable of creating an emulator. There's no Wii Shop anymore to download and play the games you bought. Consoles are not like PC's where predictably in 10 years we'll still be using x86 chips on Windows. Steam isn't going to shut down in 10 years either. For consoles it's profitably to shut down online shops for older consoles, especially if the new consoles have moved onto different CPU's and OS.
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DukenukemX
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Switch 2 is $100 cheaper in Japan but region locked. Nintendo knows the Japanese won't pay that much for the console. Costs $100 for languages?
https://x.com/Genki_JPN/status/1907437655555764520
https://x.com/Genki_JPN/status/1907437655555764520
It is cause the Yen is absolutely trash.
That's because they know people will. But it's hardly specific to Nintendo. *Bethesda has entered the chat.*
I don't think it's so much that Japanese won't pay as that Nintendo wants to take no chances with its domestic launch... and also wants to discourage people simply importing Japanese units.
If you have the disc PS4 version of the game the upgrade to PS5 is free.
Yes but many people internet is faster than a cd drive now, 16x dvd speed was around 20mb/s, for many people having a disc instead of a Internet key would mean wait on a disc instead of a faster download (at 50-100mb/s). Lot of micro SD card are not significantly faster than a lot of people Internet bandwith.
But I feel people are having a different conversation than the one asked.
Someone asked why would I buy a physical key of a game (instead of I imagine implyed here, simply buy it on the digital store and download it without said key), my suggestion of why this exist and people would buy it instead of going to the nintendo online store directly was because it make lending it, resales it, trading it for a weekk with a friends (like in the NES days) easy to do. Also easier/more fun, to give it in that format in a box at Christmas under the tree.
I am not sure what you do not understand in the reason I gave, like you say, not sure you can share games via an Nintendo account sharing system, because you need the physical key it make it really easy to share (or resale) your game between friend, simply gave-lend-sales them physical keys.
The why not have the game data on it, that a different question than why buy a physical key.
As you show, the data being on the cartridge seem irrelevant, what I am assuming that it is not harder (seem even easier) to transfert license over consoles generation at least I do not see the link at all. You can certainly have the game data on the cartridge and not have the game run natively on a switch 3 if you want, I am not sure I see any links at all between those 2 things.
Here are the reasons people want physical media.
1. This is a PORTABLE system. People will use it on airplanes, cars, busses, camping, ANYWHERE. There is no guarantee that a person has good internet when he wants to play another game that he spent $10 EXTRA for a physical copy just because HE MIGHT NOT HAVE GOOD INTERNET.
2. A key is a license not a game. Everytime Nintendo changes the gameplay of a game they change the game in the store forcing you to download and play the new version of the game when you preferred the way the game was before. A physical copy is ALWAYS the same game.
3. Nintendo goes the way of Atari and closes the online store or just removes your favorite game because it is offensive to our new alien mushroom overlords. Now you cannot play your game.
4. You are an anal OCD collector that has all your game cartridges since you were 10 years old.
Any person that has any of those needs or fears decides to pay $10 EXTRA and all they get is a code.
I am not sure why you feel I do not understand all of those things.
You are having a different conversation, someone asked why buy a physical key instead of buying from the digital store (like we do on steam)
My theory is that it made sharing the game, reselling the game, etc... easier.
Do you disagree ? (it was not about why would you ever prefer for the card to not contain the game if that does not cost you more instead, that trivial that there is 0 zero reason and not what could have been asked)
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Number 2 isn't always the case even if all the media is locally stored, mind you. Online games clearly need to be up to date, but even a single-player game won't be static unless you absolutely refuse to patch it. And that can be tricky when some games get huge day one patches; you might be stuck with a buggy game or reduced features.
I do think companies should make their discs more than just a physical license key, but the days of treating games like time capsules are effectively over.
(Side note: number 4 is actually a pain for some of us — I had more than two bookshelves' worth of game boxes before I moved to a house, and there was no way I was going to chew up that space when we needed it for more important things. Especially now that we're parents.)
Strange bird
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What don't you understand? The key is cheaper and you have to download the game from the internet and you can resell it.
The physical game is more expensive, it is tied to an account and you can't sell it.
The physical game is more expensive, it is tied to an account and you can't sell it.
Of course I agree, if you read my post it is obvious.
I saw you first line " Yes but many people internet is faster than a cd drive now, 16x dvd speed was around 20mb/s, for many people having a disc instead of a Internet key would mean wait on a disc instead of a faster download (at 50-100mb/s). Lot of micro SD card are not significantly faster than a lot of people Internet bandwith."
I thought that you were claiming that the key was as good or better than physical. Then I re-read your post and saw the bottom of your post. If you look at my post again I removed the line about you not understanding those things, I hoped that I had changed it before you read it.
I have wanted to say this for a long time but I did not know how to say it without sounding offensive but I will try now. MEANING NO DISRESPECT but I sometimes have to read your posts 2 or 3 times to understand them comply due to the English you use. One minor thing that I always read wrong is how you use Has instead of As. For example :
"A 5070 still has 988 fp4 tflops while a 2080 super had 89 tflops from its tensor core in FP16 and 356 tflops in int4. (has they did not accelerate fp8 and fp4 at the time, not sure the value but I do not think they were good at running much faster than fp16, that was Lovelace big jump in..."
The first use of the word 'has' is correct, meaning possess, but the other 'has' should be an 'as', meaning used in comparisons.
As I said it is a minor thing but I must re-read it every time. There is a phenomenon where the mind automatically corrects text when reading, a phenomenon often called "typoglycemia", where you can read jumbled words or sentences if the first and last letters are correct. Proficient readers don't read words one letter at a time, but rather recognize patterns and context, allowing the brain to fill in missing letters or words based on the surrounding text.
My mind is always doing this and when I read your posts I sometimes misunderstand them as I did this time.
I did not intend to go on a speech about your English but I hope that you understand my point and are not offended
I have never owned a gaming console of any kind so I was not aware of that.
This also happens on Steam. I do understand your point about being stuck with bugs. As you probably know you can no longer refuse to patch your game on Steam. As for reduced features sometimes people WANT the reduced features
I am Windows and my friend is Mac. Every time BG3 was updated we could not continue our coop game for weeks and there is no way to permanently refuse patches because developers demanded that bug fixing is impossible if everyone is not using the same version of the game which is perfectly understandable. However I needed the older version so I had to manually find, download and install the correct older depots to match his version. I then write protected the entire directory and problem solved!
Oh, and sometimes you do not like the developer's "re imagining my game to meet my new found views of life, spirituality, and the cosmos' and you just want to play the game you fell in love with 2 years earlier
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Curious is the key with a "physical copy" of the game a decryption key for the game that is downloaded to the internal storage? So it physically must be inserted to play the game, and as a result that can be shared/sold to others? Or is it literally a "cd key" that is tied to a single account and cant be shared with others.
If it's the latter then blegh, if it's the former could be useful... but that's a sneaky Pandora's box that would constantly be attacked as a way to add a bypass and play games for free
If it's the latter then blegh, if it's the former could be useful... but that's a sneaky Pandora's box that would constantly be attacked as a way to add a bypass and play games for free
So far what I have seen is that right now no one knows the answer to that.
Keep in mind I am a PC gamer only and I am only keeping up with this because I try to be current on all game and technology news.
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While it may technically be a decryption key involved, I can't imagine that it is the sole necessary element when deciding if a console is able to download/play a game - which would allow the resale component and other facets in a MUCH more permissive way than Nintendo seems to be planning. As you mention, it is likely some sort of key that in some way must interact with the player's account (in order to authorize the download) while also requiring that the physical card/key be installed in order to play the game when it is downloaded. So, it is not the "complete" game, or even complete "key" the way one would get one by buying a digital copy. It really does appear to be the worst of both worlds, for an additional $10 fee.
You're right that we don't know for sure the parameters yet, but it does seem that there will be "physical" copies that include an actual game card with game files included , as well as "physical" ones that are simply this 'key card' that require the download (and as far as I know, do not allow the download to go TO the game key itself; you have to have additional on-system or MicroSD Express storage). As far as reselling or loaning the game, I'm not sure if even the physical "full card contents" game will allow this as it was done on the original Switch - we don't know that yet. Nintendo has advertised that even Digital games will have some sort of loaning system involved, so I assume that both gamecard/gamekey physical will have some equivalent, but I don't think anything will go beyond it. Otherwise, there's a major potential to say.. dump the game-key's encryption file and simply pass it around to a limitless amount of Switch 2's to download it 'legally". Given they're restricting you from loaning games to anyone you wish, it seems like its only viable for those on a Nintendo Online Family Plan (I think), they don't even want you loaning friends digital games! Now, if they made it so that you could loan games to anyone using their system, or even better sell/trade even 'used' digital copies that WOULD be a significant benefit, but I doubt Nintendo has any interest in doing such things.
While we'll have to see the outcome, I don't have great faith that any solution is worth the increased $80 much less $90 price point, as it seems things are at least as, if not more restrictive assuming nothing is hacked. Don't get me wrong I'd love if Nintendo would go back to the days of the Wii/WiiU/3DS where the "tickets" were not player account specific and you could just download anything and move it around with ease, I doubt that's the case (despite the fact that both Wii and 3DS were mega-successful even with easier piracy and no hardware banning). Its just another way that it seems Nintendo seems to be straining against players' desires in the market as they put platform control as the primary focal point.
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chameleoneel
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Is the ROG Ally cheaper? I'm not seeing that its cheaper. Where are you seeing that its cheaper?
As far as I can see, the original "Ally" non-X, with the less powerful APU, is discontinued and no longer available new. (probably because that cut-down APU wasn't really viable for many non-Indy titles).
The new "Ally" non-X, with a Z1 Extreme APU just like the "Ally X", costs $649.99, legit new from Best Buy.
There are some listings on Amazon which cost less. However, its a gray area whether or not they are actually properly brand new products. There is This listing for an "international version" of the Z1 Extreme "Ally". It is quite a bit cheaper. But, its unclear what the differences are, what kind of warranty support you could expect, etc. And it still costs $100 more than a switch 2.
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chameleoneel
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Nintendo has been good about cultivating a culture of keeping Switch game files sizes lower. Part of the reason PC games are so large, is because they include assets for every level of possible settings.
The largest Switch 1 games are NBA 2K3 at 55.3GB
The Witcher 3 at 39.3 (which has a completly custom set of assets for the Switch 1 port)
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was 16.3GB
Monster Hunter Rise was 19.8GB
-----------------------------------------
Nintendo's Switch 2 games are reportedly as follows:
Mario Kart World: 23.4 GB
Donkey Kong Bananza: 10 GB
Nintendo Classics: GameCube app: 3.5 GB
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Jamboree TV: 7.7 GB
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ＋ Star Crossed World: 5.7 GB
Switch *2* of course is more powerful and can allow higher quality assets. But, to offset that, it can also utilize better compression technology, due to much more modern hardware. I expect we will a higher average game install size. And we will see a few games crack over the 55.3GB of NBA2K3. But, overall, I think 256MB for internal storage will be a fine number. No, you won't be able to have your entire library installed on that. But, you had to buy external storage to do that on Switch 1, as well.
The reason Nintendo is doing this, is because it was already an sort of "off-label" thing which publishers were doing, to save a buck on physical carts. But, still have shelf space at a brick and mortar store, etc. And people were frustrated when they didn't know a game was doing that.
And actually, they didn't include a cart at all. It was a game case with a download code.
This new system which includes a cart, is more elegant. As it allows you to share or re-sell the game, as if it were a normal physical cart. And is a halfway measure to appease people whom want a physical cart for other reasons.
And finally, now it is an official advertised method of doing things and says so right on the front of the game case cover. So, the consumer is informed. Rather than feeling like a bate-and-switch when they buy a physical package.
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DukenukemX
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Soon after the Switch 2 was announced the price jumped up and stock ran dry. I can find the (renewed) version for $410.
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Enterta...id=1744074762&sprefix=rog+ally,aps,100&sr=8-1
The ROG Ally has the Ryzen Z1 which is more powerful than the Steam Deck. The Steam Deck can already play all the games on Steam, so why wouldn't the Ryzen Z1? I'd argue it's more powerful than the Switch 2.
Why does it matter? This won't stop pirates from hacking the console, because the Switch 1 already encrypts game data. Having they decryption key on the cartridge isn't going to change that.
The Cartridge is $10 more and has no game. For $10 I can buy a 128GB SDXC card. No Switch 1 game uses that much storage. Very likely that most Switch 2 games are going to be 40GB and under. Nintendo isn't paying $10 for their cartridges, so again why isn't the game included in the cartridge?
How? In what way?
This is a portable game console where internet connections aren't guaranteed. A lot of what Nintendo is doing is assuming the Switch 2 is going to stay at someone's home. This along with a detectable mouse's makes this difficult to be a portable console. Also, we know in the future this cartridge maybe useless if Nintendo takes down their online services, which they've done in the past. Why is this better?
That's because those games look like crap on the Switch 1. PC's have enough grunt to run them at full quality.
No it doesn't. It's funny because some people I play WoW with were just talking about TOTK and how some of them quit the game due to performance. I never played the game on my Switch and played it on my PC, where you'd get 60 fps with better image quality. Even showed them me doing it with keyboard and mouse. Even BOTW was bad on the Switch. You'll see this often as a reason why people play their Switch games on PC. Some people even overclock their Switch for this reason.
A lot of people were expecting Nintendo to just upgrade the games for the Switch 2 for free since this is what happens on PC. The performance of the Switch 1 was really bad.
Some games weren't on the Switch itself and were stream via cloud gaming. The Switch was really under powered. It was a dick move then and still a dick move now.
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Well I can simply physically lend the key to someone else, that person can now easily play it (while I cannot), it is pretty much as easy as it get.
At least that how they make it sound:
An internet connection is only required when you launch the game for the first time. After this, the game can be started even without an internet connection. However, like regular physical software, the game-key card must be inserted into the system in order to play the game.
That the physical key is enough to launch the game that it does not get console lock after the first install.
Does it bind it to the first installer account ? Googling is telling me that no, you need to keep the physical key because the game stay link to the physical cartridge key.
chameleoneel
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You didnt explain how the more powerful Switch 2 actually cannot allow higher quality assets, likely leading to a higher average in game file size in the cart.
If you look at his post I think he is talking about the Switch. Look at your post, you forgot the 2
"Switch of course is more powerful and can allow higher quality assets. But, to offset that, it can also utilize better compression technology, due to much more modern hardware."
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DukenukemX
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On Steam you can share you game library. You can also load the ~17GB of game data onto the cartridge and still be easier.
Nintendo is expecting their customers to be idiots.
That's worse than just buying the game from the online store.
Switch games are console locked? Sounds like they're solving a problem they created. Steam is far more consumer friendly about this.
I assumed you meant Switch 1. Of course Switch 2 can handle higher quality assets. I can't say that 256GB of storage is enough since modern games are getting larger. It's not that Nintendo is employing special compression, but their games lack assets to begin with. BOTW and TOTK has hardly any voice acting. It's all done with text. Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be 64GB on Switch 2. That's inline with the PC requirements, which is 70GB. The final size of the game on PC is 60GB. Elden Ring on PC is 50GB, with another 16GB for DLC. Assuming the size is the same for Switch 2, then those two games are going to consume over 100GB of storage. Duskblood is probably gonna be 20GB to 50GB considering how big Elden Ring is gonna be. The point here is that at no point do I want to download a game when I'm on the go. At no point should I need to manage storage in my console when I have the cartridge. Put the stupid game on the cartridge already.
Of course for the second part which was never the trivial question someone could be asking (easier only if there is no internet, exactly the same with internet in term of hard or easy, both case you simply insert the cartridge), I can sales my steam games or lend a particular one without having to share the whole affair (there would be some limits, kids will have many friend and that game sharing group...)? And it would be simpler for kids to setup something like this vs simply physically lend a cartridge.
Yes, if you do not want to resales or share it. The question was why would I buy a physical key instead of buying from the online store, my theory was that it make it easier to resales, lends, give, etc... the game to someone else, do you think it make sense, agree all this time and just I am not sure what exactly ?
That not what google tell me (if you buy a physical key, I would imagine for the online store to be more account locked like others online store than console locked), source ?
I'm fine with charging money if there's more than just a straighforward technical upgrade. The BOTW and TOTK updates barely count on that front between Zelda Notes and the ability to exchange TOTK machine recipes; other upgrades are better as they really do have extra content.A lot of people were expecting Nintendo to just upgrade the games for the Switch 2 for free since this is what happens on PC. The performance of the Switch 1 was really bad.
The "generational leaps" image is also misleading as we're talking about fundamentally different eras in computing power. The '90s were a time when CPUs took huge leaps every year, and one console generation meant the difference between 2D and 3D. Today, you can produce a good-looking game on virtually any platform, even the original Switch; it's just a question of how smoothly it runs and whether or not you can throw in extra detail. And while I wish Nintendo was doing more with new content for the Zelda games... I won't lie, the thought of playing BOTW or TOTK at high frame rates with HDR (but without the gray/black area of emulators) is still pretty appealing.
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Yup, plus it depends on tastes. I think the SNES Zelda (Link to the Past?) looks far superior to the Nintendo 64 version because that early 3d looks quite clunky AF, plus it was on a cartridge too so it had limitations of how much data they could store. But they really aren't even the same game type to be perfectly honest. Hell I prefer the look of Final Fantasy 3 (6jp) to FF7, because everything is just too damn blocky, but you see with FF9 (same system) and they could do a lot more... they also were on CDs and just added more of them if memory serves. That said, you could cherry pick a shot from GTA 5 across the PS3, PS4 and PS5 and do a "hey it looks the same, with different shadow effects" if you need your meme worthy image too.
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Sorry if this is a re-post, but looks like the Canadian pre-orders have been delayed as well. I bet if the US console sees a price increase, so will the Canadian one. :-/
https://www.theverge.com/news/645240/nintendo-switch-2-canada-preorders-delayed-trump-tariffs
https://www.theverge.com/news/645240/nintendo-switch-2-canada-preorders-delayed-trump-tariffs
Not shocking, but still... brace for impact. Thanks, White House.
Can't afford this? Switch to 1 says Nintendo...
Nintendo has responded to multiple complaints made with Switch 2 pricing...
Unfortunately, the responses are as bad as they get.
- Can't afford a Switch 2? "Just play the OG Switch"
- Paid Tutorial? "It's only $10 Dollars"
- $80 Games? "The passion we put in justifies price"
https://x.com/LegacyKillaHD/status/1909658083262947675
Nintendo has responded to multiple complaints made with Switch 2 pricing...
Unfortunately, the responses are as bad as they get.
- Can't afford a Switch 2? "Just play the OG Switch"
- Paid Tutorial? "It's only $10 Dollars"
- $80 Games? "The passion we put in justifies price"
https://x.com/LegacyKillaHD/status/1909658083262947675