Reports indicate that nearly all third-party physical Nintendo Switch 2 games announced for Japan utilize Game-Key Cards, with Western releases following a similar trend.
According to Gematsu's findings during Switch 2 pre-order launches in Japan, every third-party physical title except CD Projekt's Cyberpunk 2077 (non-Switch 2 Edition) ships as Game-Key Cards requiring internet access for full game downloads.
Ys X: Proud Nordics and No Sleep for Kaname Date are also game-key cards in Japan. And retail descriptions for Split Fiction list it as a code-in-a-box. pic.twitter.com/dCTUsTmNQZ
— Gematsu (@gematsu) April 24, 2025
The Western market appears comparable - Sega's Switch 2 releases like Sonic X Shadow Generations (as confirmed by Walmart listings) also use Game-Key Cards. Only four exceptions have been identified:
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition
Nintendo previously confirmed that Switch 2 game cards wouldn't necessarily contain full games, instead functioning as download keys. However, Switch 2 Edition titles include both game data and upgrades on the cartridge.
Switch 2 Game-Key Cards operate similarly to digital codes - they provide game access but require downloads since no actual game data exists on the card itself. Retail packaging clearly indicates this format near the lower front of boxes.
Title examples:
- Street Fighter 6 - Game-Key Card
- Bravely Default remaster - Game-Key Card
- Mario Kart World (24GB) - Full cartridge
- Cyberpunk 2077 (64GB) - Full cartridge
Nintendo Switch 2 Game Packaging Examples
Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad warns this Game-Key Card approach may severely strain Nintendo's eShop servers during the June launch window as players simultaneously download purchases.
All Switch 2 bundles contain download codes... Mario Kart World occupies 24GB... Most titles require downloads via Game-Key Cards... Global same-day launch on June 5... Let's collectively pray for the eShop servers.
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 24, 2025
Ahmad notes financial motivations behind this strategy: "Game cards prove significantly more expensive than discs (cost increasing per GB)... Digital distribution and lower-capacity cards improve publisher margins... Digital already dominates sales."
Christopher Dring of The Game Business compares Game-Key Cards to "holiday gift boxes," adding: "Fewer game retailers, rising manufacturing costs, generational indifference toward physical media, and sustainability concerns all drive this transition."
Following Switch 2 pre-orders selling out immediately on April 24, fans have begun flooding eBay with fake listings to combat scalpers.
