Support NeoGAF

[sendit]

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'

Nintendo is just easing people in to the idea of NFTs. They just don't know it yet.

 

[BlackTron]

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

Sometimes day one version is good. Once those updates are on the cart, there's no going back, but the day one version leaves the option.

Example, Zelda dupe trick.

I'm kind of fascinated by the idea of carts that have both a ROM and writable area for updates or even game saves. I like the idea that if the data in this area were lost or deleted the ROM would still load version 1.0. Of course, we're moving in the opposite direction where carts don't even have the game.

 

[StereoVsn]

They could also not be greedy and decrease the price back to $60.

256GB costs just two dollars more than a 64GB cart, and that's consumer pricing, not the special deals they get for buying in bulk.

Eh, not with the higher speed express cards. 256GB express card is around $60-70 retail. 128gb runs about $45 retail. Now, Nintendo doesn't pay retail prices but it's still not cheap all things considered

What's dumb is Nintendo only having the small 8GB (or is it 6gb?) card and 64GB.

 

[zokie]

SFVI needs 50GB of space
Yakuza 0 Director Cut needs 47GB
Certain publishers are lazy to provide full game carts for 3GB to 4GB games

 

[Klosshufvud]

SFVI needs 50GB of space
Yakuza 0 Director Cut needs 47GB
Certain publishers are lazy to provide full game carts for 3GB to 4GB games

Yakuza 0 on PS4 needed only 18GB....what the hell are these devs doing? And SF6 being a 2D fighting game requiring FIFTY GBs....why?!

 

[bitbydeath]

Eh, not with the higher speed express cards. 256GB express card is around $60-70 retail. 128gb runs about $45 retail. Now, Nintendo doesn't pay retail prices but it's still not cheap all things considered

What's dumb is Nintendo only having the small 8GB (or is it 6gb?) card and 64GB.

I doubt the cost has changed much from Switch cartridges. It's larger but the cost has also reduced since it launched.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Once stores like Gamestop and Best Buy stop accepting trading in games is when console discs will disappear. Gamers might as well go digital and stores selling games will just try to sell digital key cards. Then game makers wont bother with discs anymore as demand drops.

PC gravitated to digital because there's never been widespread trading in PC games. Not sure why game shops never wanted to accept PC games, but console and handheld games have always been ok. Maybe shops think PC trade ins are fake and it's a blank floppy or CD with a fake label. Not sure. Out of all the game shops I know since my first visit in the 80s, there's only a couple that were willing to do PC trade ins. And those places stopped in the late 90s.

I was someone who liked physical as well, but transitioned 10 years ago and never locked back. Same with music CDs. Everyone in the 2000s is getting MP3 players and iPods and I didnt give a shit. I just bought CDs for $10. Then I realized what a waste of time and money that is. I still got my shelf of like 200 CDs. Nice living room decor maybe, but functionally useless.

At least with music, though, digital also eventually brought us higher quality audio and DRM-free releases. There's really no issue to be had with digital distribution for music.

 

[Panajev2001a]

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

Hindrance? In a portable with limited storage each physical game is free extra storage for you. Resale and lending are possible too. Just hindrance? That is corporate side speak sorry.
This is Nintendo trying to remove its value.

 

[Panajev2001a]

What we need to admit is not that Physical is dead, it's that companies want it to be dead.

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.

Yep!

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

At least with music, though, digital also eventually brought us higher quality audio and DRM-free releases. There's really no issue to be had with digital distribution for music.

Higher quality than lossless WAV data on a CD? Am i missing something?

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Hindrance? In a portable with limited storage each physical game is free extra storage for you. Resale and lending are possible too. Just hindrance? That is corporate side speak sorry.
This is Nintendo trying to remove its value.

Who is really that worried about storage at this point in time? This isn't 1998. Buy a bigger flash card.

What is a hindrance is needing to put the physical cartridge in to play each and every game instead of just having them ready to go. That was fine in ye olde days when the game was actually on the cart, but now... why actively choose to have that impediment?

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Higher quality than lossless WAV data on a CD? Am i missing something?

Lossless FLACs with CD quality audio or, in the case of most releases these days, the availability of higher-resolution FLAC files (eg. 192/24 resolution). Or DSD files for some stuff. How much of an improvement that makes is debatable and not something anyone probably wants to get into, but the worst you're gonna do with those is CD quality audio. We're way past the days of mp3s or shitty AAC "lossless" audio, let alone DRMed shit.

 

[zokie]

Proud version of YSX needs 9GB of space

 

[crazyriddler]

Well... I was still deciding whether to buy Switch 2 day 1 or not. This is definitely a no for me. Since I'm only interested in first party anyway, the only thing that can make me buy it is if all of Nintendo's first party games are released in full on cartridge, and that won't be known for a while.
If Nintendo realizes that empty cartridges sell just as well, it's possible that future first party games will come that way. And I'm not going to invest in a Nintendo digital platform (of any closed platform really), WiiU and 3DS store are closed, so we'll see how things progress.

As for third parties... for that I buy them on steam much cheaper and play them on Steam Deck or my PC.

 

[consoul]

Aside from everything else, the experience of buying a new game, putting the cartridge in and not being able to play it until a big-ass download completes sucks.

Especially in countries where speeds are crap. *cries in Australian*

Switch 1's signature sound was the finger snap, and starting games was snappy. Switch 2's new sound motif should be the 56k modem sound.

We're not wrong to blame the third-party publishers who choose to go this route, but as the platform owner, Nintendo should have known better than to just let publishers cheap out on this, even with small games. It's just not a good experience for players. Iwata would be barrel-rolling in his grave. Actually that sounds fun.

Anyway, I'll be happy to support publishers who do right by the players, like CDPR.

 

[darth.shrimp]

Some of these were pretty much confirmed to be entirely on the card for the US/EU versions, so it seems to me that this is a Japan-only thing and a way for Nintendo to keep prices lower there... or so I hope.

 

[Goalus]

Let's celebrate ownership and buy Cyberpunk!

 

[cireza]

I hope this is just Nintendo fucking third parties at launch to have the better offering, and that then solutions will be made available for them to provide games on the cartridges.

 

[Power Pro]

Let's celebrate ownership and buy Cyberpunk!

I intend to, that's totally one I plan to buy. I played it before on PC, but I've been looking for a reason to go through it again.

I hope this is just Nintendo fucking third parties at launch to have the better offering, and that then solutions will be made available for them to provide games on the cartridges.

As bad of a precedent this would set, as someone who legitimately cares about the games being on the cart, I wish they would at least offer an online order version of games that ship with the games on the cart, and charge more for them on their official site if nothing else. I know, we're already upset about the rising costs of games, but I'm more than happy to pay extra if the game is on the cart...I've already been doing that pretty much with a lot of indie games that get physical releases later down the line and end up costing about $15-20 more than their digital counterparts.

 

[//DEVIL//]

Good know that I'll be avoiding all game keys cards.

I'll never buy a new game key card period. The only way I'll buy is it if it's used and resell it when done.

I am not gonna collect them if there is no physical bootable game inside.

This way I'll at least make sure these publishers don't get money directly from me . Keep up your shitty job. Less money for you .

 

[Generic]

So what your saying is, there's a chance I can buy Mario Galaxy digital on the Switch 2? Maybe even both games?

They would be $70 each.

 

[LordCBH]

Why do I get the feeling 90% of third party games will be these stupid ass key cards…..fucking cheapskate game companies man.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

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.

Just saw this tweet from Marvelous/Xseed Games. NSW2 western releases of Rune Factory, Story of Seasons and Daemon X Machina are confirmed to be complete on cart.

 

[deriks]

I hope this is just for the moment

Not having the game in a physical format that you can borrow or whatever is a travesty

 

[darth.shrimp]

I hope this is just for the moment

Not having the game in a physical format that you can borrow or whatever is a travesty

Game key cards can be lent or sold - it's not limited to only one system, once downloaded, you only need the key-card in your console to play it.

 

[Woopah]

Weakness of the yen is hitting these publishers. Expect several cart games in the West to be key cards in Japan.

 

[Sooner]

Physical is dead. Get over it.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

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'

As one of those "collectors"…you are not wrong IMO.

While I have had the opportunity to sell a few of my rare items I never have.

The market for physical games is a rapidly vanishing pool…anyone want to buy a 40 year old game collection?!?!?

Spoiler

 

[deriks]

Game key cards can be lent or sold - it's not limited to only one system, once downloaded, you only need the key-card in your console to play it.

But does it stores on the card?

 

[Xellos]

Just saw this tweet from Marvelous/Xseed Games. NSW2 western releases of Rune Factory, Story of Seasons and Daemon X Machina are confirmed to be complete on cart.

If Marvelous can do it then Sega, Capcom and the rest have no excuse.

 

[64gigabyteram]

And SF6 being a 2D fighting game requiring FIFTY GBs....why?!

On PC that bitch needs 90. Be grateful it's reasonable on Switch

 

[Nydius]

Sooner or later they gonna let us sell our digital library. Thats the endgame of digital over physical.

The only way I'll ever embrace a fully digital future is if, like you write here, they expand copyright protections (namely the right of first sale) to digital licenses and allow us to trade, sell, or loan out our digital library like we can a physical one.

But let's be honest here, no copyright holder is going to stand by and let that happen because it's all about control and profits for them. Digital has been an orchestrated attack on our consumer copyright protections from the start.

I absolutely loathe this game key shit but at least it still grants a sliver of our consumer copyright protections.

 

[64gigabyteram]

But let's be honest here, no copyright holder is going to stand by and let that happen because it's all about control and profits for them.

It can happen, just move to Europe. They actually give a small amount of a shit about consumer protections there.

There's a reason the "Stop Killing Games" movement has most of its traction on that side of the Atlantic

Seriously though I wish us americans had an equivalent or similar pushback and movement especially considering how big streaming culture is over here

 

[StereoVsn]

I doubt the cost has changed much from Switch cartridges. It's larger but the cost has also reduced since it launched.

Looking at the prices I think the cost may be higher especially with inflation. That said, only Nintendo knows and they certainly got more greedy from Switch 1 days.

 

[ReyBrujo]

Games are up at the Nintendo Eshop, you can finally preorder Welcome Tour.

 

[Horseganador]

 

[Makki]

Physical is dead. Get over it.

What a dumb stance, smells real smug

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

switch 2 reveal has been nothing but

 

[Sooner]

What a dumb stance, smells real smug

It's simply reality. You can pretend your discs or cartridges will work on the PS6 and Switch 3, but there won't be a drive to insert them. So, good luck.

 

[Walter Matthau]

I was hoping game keys would mostly be used to replace codes in a box, but here we are.

 

[Walter Matthau]

They've managed to get some pretty obscure games reprinted. Could see this becoming a thing if publishers are leaving money on the table with keys.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

The inflated pricing for games and hard push for all-digital is an immense turn off for me and the fact that Nintendo games barely go on sale isn't helping either. Their games will stay $80 for the next 10 years.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Game collectors:

Also game collectors:

 

[crazyriddler]

Game collectors:

Also game collectors:

The sad thing is that what they will achieve is that many game collectors (who tend to be enthusiasts who spend considerably more money than the average) look like:

 

[Hyet]

The issue here is that pubs have to buy a expensive cart from Nintendo and also give them 30% royaly. If you throw distribution costs and retail seller cut it simply makes no sense. Nintendo should cut their royalties down for fully physical games but since they won't, the user has to bend over a subsidize the game memory space on top of buying the product. In practice is not as terriblollocks as the Xbox One initial pitch but on principle is fuking greedy. And it's Nintendo's fault. Games that take too much space can still be code in a box or game keys but their royalties are the reason stuff like Bravely HD don't come as a fully physical game. And we're talking about an upscaled 3DS game that Nintendo probably paid the exclusive for since it isn't coming out anywhere else.

The console is cool and all but Nintendo has to get their shit together FAST.

 

[Power Pro]

If Marvelous can do it then Sega, Capcom and the rest have no excuse.

The richest companies are often the cheapest sadly. It's the smaller publishers that know they have to rely on their small but loyal fanbases. Once they get to be as big as Sega, and Capcom...it seems like they don't give a fuck about the paying customer anymore.

 

[apple_of_enlightenment]

Physical carts are relics of a bygone age that cost us all extra resources and unnecessary plastic use.

I'm surprised the format has lasted this long. Game shops having to stock these things and the waste of labour of having sales people administrate it all, etc. etc. It increases the game cost. Time to move on.

 

[Forth]

The news just gets worse doesn't it?
I think it might be time to hang up my boots with this hobby.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

They've managed to get some pretty obscure games reprinted. Could see this becoming a thing if publishers are leaving money on the table with keys.

See, the problem is that what motivates people to buy physical over digital has mainly been getting it cheaper with some amount of reselling. But if physical becomes more expensive, even buying to resell isn't going to be all that attractive.

Like if Cyberpunk goes on sale often for $45, nobody will bother with $70 physical.

 

[Beechos]

What's the over/under these game cards get duped and the cards will be locked to an nso account?