Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards further blur the lines between digital and physical media

The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived after years of wild rumours, speculations and straight-up cope. Its launch lineup is skewed towards third-party titles, with many Switch exclusives getting a do-over for the new console. And now, Nintendo has shown off a (somewhat) new category of games that will frustrate physical media enthusiasts.

Over at Nintendo's website, a support article explains the concept of Game-Key Cards. They bear all the markings of a physical game, including a cartridge, but it won't have any game data loaded on it. It essentially acts as a green flag for your console to download the game off the internet. After the initial download, the game can be launched offline.

This is more or less an evolved (or devolved) version of physical releases that include a game code in the box. Thankfully, Nintendo has made it easy to distinguish between regular games and game key cards with explicit markings on the bottom. But, this definitely has the potential to cause confusion because not everyone will read the fine print and wonder why their brand-new game cartridge isn't working without an internet connection.

Exactly how many Nintendo Switch 2 games will launch as Game-Key Cards remains unknown for now. The ideal number is zero because it goes against the whole point of physical media, which is not requiring an internet connection at all. And a game being locked behind DRM is anti-game preservation, something that Nintendo has clearly ignored for years, if not decades.