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These game key cards a farking pathetic. Pretty sure they are actively trying to discourage physical sales without directly snubbing b&m retailers. Nintendo wants us to hate these.
What about the PlayStation and Xbox games that aren't fully on the CD and they don't tell you about that? You guys complaining about key cards need to do more research. Most of the next gen switch 2 games need to be installed directly onto the internal memory for performance speed reasons. Major AAA developers who actually do more than just follow what every idiot says online have already flat out said this. Post a review about the game let me know if it's a good purchase don't come in here with the BS key card rhetoric it's old news and you probably don't even own a Switch 2.
These game key cards a farking pathetic. Pretty sure they are actively trying to discourage physical sales without directly snubbing b&m retailers. Nintendo wants us to hate these.
It was a compromise for developers and consumers. Nintendo doesn't benefit at all.
The key card makes it so people can buy and then sell it later as it's not locked to your Nintendo account like a digital purchase...which is good for consumers.
Retailers still make money on them..so it's good for them. The developers only have to pay $1 for the card for these instead of $18 for an actual cartridge...so good for developers.
And, we have a few games on Switch 2 that we wouldn't have without them. The developers from both SW Outlaws and Final Fantasy 7 have said in interviews that the cartridges read too slow for their games to run. Both games require high speed data transmission to work. The games simply would not work without super long load times or lots of frame rate drops.
I get it. I love having my physical for years down the road. But, the cartridges are not like cartridges of old like SNES, Atari, etc. those used Mask Rom. And they have a life expectancy of 50-100 years. Tbe Switch (as well as DS, 3ds,etc) all use flash memory. These cartridges have a general lifespan of 20 years..which is why some DS cartridges are beginning to fail already. Some may make it last 30, but not close to 50+ like the old ones.
So, as much of a collector as I am, I decided to buy mostly digital, unless it's a special edition or I like the case (worms Armageddon 25th, Indiana Jones,etc ). I think the digital copies will still be playable on Nintendo's next console, I'm not so sure it will still have a cartridge slot though. Kind of like Xbox. I sold all my discs about a year before they announced that the new standard series X had no disc drive. All digital games will be BC with their new PC/Xbox hybrid console...but disc games are left behind. I'm told, haven't checked myself, that even Wii digital games can still be downloaded.
It took me a while to get used to digital, but I like it now.
Last edited by IndigoScent3469 March 16, 2026 at 10:05 AM.
That's what I'm waiting for. I have 3 already. 11 also. Getting ready for 7. And I haven't played any yet. Trying to decide between RE pack with 7,8,9 for $90. Or DQ7 and just RE7 for $90? Or I could get the pack now, and wait for a drop on DQ 7. This is only $30 for each RE if I buy now.
I sure wish there was a proper zombie fps. Or even 3rd person shooter... Like State of Emergency... on Switch. I'm told there's a mode in RE village that you can get extra and just do like a survival type mode of just shooting zombies?
What about the PlayStation and Xbox games that aren't fully on the CD and they don't tell you about that? You guys complaining about key cards need to do more research. Most of the next gen switch 2 games need to be installed directly onto the internal memory for performance speed reasons. Major AAA developers who actually do more than just follow what every idiot says online have already flat out said this. Post a review about the game let me know if it's a good purchase don't come in here with the BS key card rhetoric it's old news and you probably don't even own a Switch 2.
Exactly. We wouldn't have FF 7 or SW Outlaws...or maybe even RE 9 without key cards or digital only. Cartridge slot reads too slow. Those games simply are not possible. WWE 2k25 is over the 64gb limit. Do, it's not available on cartridge either.
I'm a collector, but I understand. If they don't like it...stick with Switch 1 versions. Those are all on the cartridge
What about the PlayStation and Xbox games that aren't fully on the CD and they don't tell you about that? You guys complaining about key cards need to do more research. Most of the next gen switch 2 games need to be installed directly onto the internal memory for performance speed reasons. Major AAA developers who actually do more than just follow what every idiot says online have already flat out said this. Post a review about the game let me know if it's a good purchase don't come in here with the BS key card rhetoric it's old news and you probably don't even own a Switch 2.
How much space is standard on Xbox SX and PS5? How much space is on the Switch 2?
Exactly. We wouldn't have FF 7 or SW Outlaws...or maybe even RE 9 without key cards or digital only. Cartridge slot reads too slow. Those games simply are not possible. WWE 2k25 is over the 64gb limit. Do, it's not available on cartridge either.
I'm a collector, but I understand. If they don't like it...stick with Switch 1 versions. Those are all on the cartridge
"Cartridge slots read too slow" is such a cope. It's because it helps maximize profits. That is literally the only reason.
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The key card makes it so people can buy and then sell it later as it's not locked to your Nintendo account like a digital purchase...which is good for consumers.
Retailers still make money on them..so it's good for them. The developers only have to pay $1 for the card for these instead of $18 for an actual cartridge...so good for developers.
And, we have a few games on Switch 2 that we wouldn't have without them. The developers from both SW Outlaws and Final Fantasy 7 have said in interviews that the cartridges read too slow for their games to run. Both games require high speed data transmission to work. The games simply would not work without super long load times or lots of frame rate drops.
I get it. I love having my physical for years down the road. But, the cartridges are not like cartridges of old like SNES, Atari, etc. those used Mask Rom. And they have a life expectancy of 50-100 years. Tbe Switch (as well as DS, 3ds,etc) all use flash memory. These cartridges have a general lifespan of 20 years..which is why some DS cartridges are beginning to fail already. Some may make it last 30, but not close to 50+ like the old ones.
So, as much of a collector as I am, I decided to buy mostly digital, unless it's a special edition or I like the case (worms Armageddon 25th, Indiana Jones,etc ). I think the digital copies will still be playable on Nintendo's next console, I'm not so sure it will still have a cartridge slot though. Kind of like Xbox. I sold all my discs about a year before they announced that the new standard series X had no disc drive. All digital games will be BC with their new PC/Xbox hybrid console...but disc games are left behind. I'm told, haven't checked myself, that even Wii digital games can still be downloaded.
It took me a while to get used to digital, but I like it now.
I sure wish there was a proper zombie fps. Or even 3rd person shooter... Like State of Emergency... on Switch. I'm told there's a mode in RE village that you can get extra and just do like a survival type mode of just shooting zombies?
I'm a collector, but I understand. If they don't like it...stick with Switch 1 versions. Those are all on the cartridge
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
I'm a collector, but I understand. If they don't like it...stick with Switch 1 versions. Those are all on the cartridge
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!