[Gematsu] Switch 2 game preorders in Japan reveal that all physical 3rd party games are Digital Game Keys (Except Cyberpunk 2077)
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
We're just at that point where people have to admit physical is dead. Yeah, I know the sales figures are big for some games, but functionally? The utility of physical is gone. Arguably just a hindrance, outside of potential resale value.
Which kinda kills me because I really love physical
Which kinda kills me because I really love physical
Magic Carpet
Gold Member
So what your saying is, there's a chance I can buy Mario Galaxy digital on the Switch 2? Maybe even both games?We're just at that point where people have to admit physical is dead. Yeah, I know the sales figures are big for some games, but functionally? The utility of physical is gone. Arguably just a hindrance, outside of potential resale value.
Which kinda kills me because I really love physical
Astray
Member
What we need to admit is not that Physical is dead, it's that companies want it to be dead.We're just at that point where people have to admit physical is dead. Yeah, I know the sales figures are big for some games, but functionally? The utility of physical is gone. Arguably just a hindrance, outside of potential resale value.
Which kinda kills me because I really love physical
Nintendo wants to start locking up its consumers asap to build Switch 1/2 into a platform that people can't walk away from easily..
They know that their opponents like Steam, Sony, MS are all doing similar things, which means that taking customers off of these players is tough as nails and they want to make it tough for them too.
asdasdasdbb
Member
Figured that was going to happen.
Really when you think about it, The Token and being able to Re-sell it (once they are done playing) is what people that buy physical care about. And that still keeps retailers interested.
Well, except for The 'Collectors who think they can sell it 20 years from now for big bucks'
The utility of physical is gone. Arguably just a hindrance, outside of potential resale value.
Really when you think about it, The Token and being able to Re-sell it (once they are done playing) is what people that buy physical care about. And that still keeps retailers interested.
Well, except for The 'Collectors who think they can sell it 20 years from now for big bucks'
Horseganador
Member
Nintendo is destroying the physical games market. Almost all third-party games with only a key on the cartridge are a disgrace. On top of that, with the console's limited internal memory, you'll have to buy SD cards. In the end, they pass on the cost they save to the user.
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LordOcidax
Member
Nintendo should force third party devs on buying more expensive cards right?
Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
Well, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is another 3rd party game that's also complete on cart, but yeah... the situation for 3rd party titles releasing physically on NSW2 (at least during the launch window) is pretty bad, due to I assume very pricey carts.
Still, I plan on getting Bravely Default remastered and No Sleep For Kaname Date (NSW1 version since it's on the cart and I'll pay/get the upgrade if there's one available).
marvelousgames.com
Still, I plan on getting Bravely Default remastered and No Sleep For Kaname Date (NSW1 version since it's on the cart and I'll pay/get the upgrade if there's one available).
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – Nintendo Switch™ 2 FAQ
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is one of the first titles launching on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
marvelousgames.com
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yet_another_alt
Member
How appropriate that the people behind GOG actually let you own the game you buy.
cinnamonandgravy
Member
putting in a card to download and play a game is some of the dumbest crap ive ever heard
PeteBull
Member
And game has tons of content too, including xpack for 100% clear u will need around 100-150h depending on difficulty lvl and how fast u are, so at least u will get ur money's worth.
Bitstream
Member
On one hand, you'll have the day 1 version, but on the other hand, it won't have all the latest patches and updates on it. Not sure what the right call is since from my understanding switch carts get updated as patches roll out. WOuld be nice to have the 'full' latest version on the cart without having to take up any additional storage
Codes 208
Member
People were mad at microsoft because their system was far worse. Not only did you need the disc and running wifi for EVERY GAME, physical games would be tied to your account just like digital games, theyre one-time use which meant you wouldnt be able to trade, sell or borrow your games.
You can trade in these key cards, they just act as blank bluray disks in card form (it's no different than what xb1/ps4 going forward were doing since you'd still need to install physical games because Bluray is too damn slow)
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Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
The Western release of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion also seems to be on the cart (there's no mention of game key on the Amazon UK listing), so the Japanese release being a game key card seems a bit odd.
TGO
Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
My understanding of this is that Nintendo doesn't offer a smaller size card, it's either the big card or the Game Keys, publishers not willing to sell out for a larger game card when their game don't use it is understandable.
But the fact that Nintendo even came up with this Idea is alarming.
Most Nintendo games aren't going to need that Big Card.
But the fact that Nintendo even came up with this Idea is alarming.
Most Nintendo games aren't going to need that Big Card.
Robb
Gold Member
That's definitely it. And it's the same reason we saw extremely few max capacity Switch (1) games.
I can't even imagine what the relative costs are on 64GB Switch 2 carts.
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Wilhelm_85
Gold Member
Hari Seldon
Member
I guess I won't be buying any 3rd party games on Nintendo. Not that I would do that anyway lol.
Wilhelm_85
Gold Member
The keys are probably cheaper to make. Wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo also gives them a bigger cut for digital stuff since it forces people into the eShop ecosystem.
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Kataploom
Gold Member
I don't get why people say "you own GOG games" when you literally cannot sell them or give them away
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StereoVsn
Gold Member
Nintendo should offer different cart sizes. They seem to only offer 8GB and 64GB. Hence mostly everyone is going with the stupid digital key card.
It's on Nintendo to offer multiple different sizes for these.
Astray
Member
Or they can just reduce the price for the cartridges.
They make massive money anyways.
Astray
Member
You can technically burn the games on discs and sell them/give them away and no one would even know, let alone prosecute you for it.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
@ 80 to 90 dollhairs.
LordOcidax
Member
Or better…they should give the cartridges it for free.
Killer8
Member
Yeah, fuck this. As someone who put a huge amount of effort into chasing physical releases during the Switch era, i'll be going mostly digital now on Switch 2. A piece of plastic with a 56kb download stub on it is not a physical release.
Unless the games are coming out in a nice collector's edition, the kind of thing SUPERDELUXE (LRG's Japanese cousin) are doing, it's a pass from me.
Unless the games are coming out in a nice collector's edition, the kind of thing SUPERDELUXE (LRG's Japanese cousin) are doing, it's a pass from me.
kevboard
Member
Kagoshima_Luke
Gold Member
I always said I would be be out if current publishers force digital on console. This feels like we are imminently approaching this moment.
Honestly, I'll be happy to fall back to Steam/PC digital and retro games. My backlog is huge and won't be completed in my lifetime.
Honestly, I'll be happy to fall back to Steam/PC digital and retro games. My backlog is huge and won't be completed in my lifetime.
Porcile
Member
This already sort of happens on Switch in Japan. Sometimes I go looking for a game only to find the Japanese publisher only released it physical in the U.S. and Europe, and sometimes only through Limited Run. The most recent example I can think of is the Lunar Remastered collection.
Nah. It will sell zero consoles on launch day.
That said, I'm sad but kinda I expected this.
These bigger cartridges are expensive and publishers are cheap fuckers (I mean - how much could Suikoden weight in the SW2 version compare to SW1? And it's 7 GBs there..... )
I'm confused.
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Fbh
Member
Yup.
It absolutely sucks from a preservation perspective but I hope physical media sticks around even if it's just in the format of cheap low capacity cartridges (or discs) that basically function as physical DRM.
That way you can still trade and resell games, you can sill lend and borrow them to/from friends, it still allows for a second hand market to exist and you can still take advantage of sales and promotions from multiple vendors and retailers instead of being locked into a single monopolistic digital store.
Preservation is one of the main appeals of physical media, but it's not the only one.
Gambit2483
Member
Lol no, it's not the same.
Xbox One wanted you to have to physically connect to the internet routinely to "check" or "verify" that you are able to even use the system. That and "physical" games were forever stuck on just that one system. No ability to trade, sell or lend the game. It was the shittiest anti-consumer policy ever conceived for the industry.
Game-keys download the game once and that's it. It's always on your system and available to play, regardless of internet connections. And you can, of course, trade, sell or lend the cartridge per usual.
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Banjo64
cumsessed
Do Sony and MS force devs to use 128gb blu rays?