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[SILKYSMOOTH30FPS]

Do you have evidence of an $80 game that is a GKC or a code in the box? If not, stop spreading misinformation.

Wait, the system just came out, and you think that what you're seeing now is as bad as it gets? Nintendo got you by the balls real quick.

 

[Variahunter]

There are so many stupid takes in this thread, starting with this one:

These are products we are talking about. Economics and logistics are exactly the two things Nintendo, and literally every single company takes into account. If you have an issue with that, take it up with the entire concept of capitalism.

Key cards are (sadly) a benefit to consumers.
If you want to know why, please read on.

I've worked in publishing for all four major platforms, and produced physical games for Switch, PS4/5, and Xbox. Here is the reality: game cards are far more expensive to manufacture than discs, and thus order minimums are harder to hit, and margins are slimmer for Switch games. It simply comes down to the form factor.

During the Switch 1 era, there were only two choices if we wanted to release a "physical" game. We could either risk producing game cards at a high quantity and slim margins, or we could produce empty boxes with download codes. For some of our games, many of which were unknown indie titles, we saw time and time again that the higher quantity minimums were not viable. We often even took chances, and ended up losing money and being stuck with inventory. Sometimes things would pay off, but other times they wouldn't. Companies like Limited Run deal with this all the time, which is why they're so selective about the games they manufacture.

If we went with download codes inside a box (or even just digital sales), that prohibits any form of resale or traditional lending of that game for the consumer. It's simply bound to your account, and that's that.

With key cards, we at least have a middle ground. You're able to resell a key card. You're able to lend out a key card. For all intents and purposes, so long as you have an internet connection and the servers remain in tact (which admittedly is a concern, but the same concern exists for all digital purchases or games that require any form of download to start), you have a physical copy of said game.

It is an ADDITIONAL OPTION for consumers, and one that is better than download codes.

The reality is that without key cards, there will be many games that simply will not see any form of physical release. Games that won't have a chance to live on a shelf, or won't be able to be resold.

Because Switch 2 games have a higher minimum storage, they are already more expensive to produce than Switch 1 games. That's the reality, and it's a necessity to have modern games in a portable form factor. So the problem is even harder to deal with for any smaller publisher that wants to release a product physically, but can't commit to absurdly high minimums, or razor thing margins.

I'm not saying it's a perfect solution. But short of expecting Nintendo to just eat the costs on lower quantity physical manufacturing (which is absurd to think any company would do so), I can't think of a better solution.

The alternative to the existence of key cards is that either A. We have fewer physical games, or B. We have far more boxed download code papers.

—————————

Okay, now let me address the gigantic downside to key cards: They can be abused.

As I mentioned already, key cards are a great alternative for a game that simply otherwise would not have a physical release. But, to my current knowledge, there is nothing stopping a big publisher (say Ubisoft) from releasing their next AAA game on a key card instead of a real game card in order to save money per unit. This ends up being the greed of publishers that decide to not release what is clearly a large enough game on a real game card, and I fully believe we should take issue with that practice.

My personal solution to that would be for Nintendo to implement an order maximum on key cards, something that I don't think has ever existed before. Let's say a publisher wants to order more than 100,000 units of a game less than 64gb, they should be required to manufacture that game on a game card. Nintendo controls all manufacturing of Switch cards, so this is absolutely something they could implement.

I haven't produced any Switch 2 games yet, so I don't actually know the stipulations, requirements, and restrictions on production, but I would hope that Nintendo has implemented some way to prevent publishers from abusing the key card system.

I kinda understand your problem, but when you publish indie titles... You have to produce the right amount of game cards, so why not only producing the quantity that got preordered ? That's something you could absolutely do, because those titles are often bought by a niche public.

I think a lot of small publishers just do that, especially when we're talking about retro games. Analogue does it for consoles, why couldn't you do it with indie games ?

But the topic is really about big publisher, and those, like Square Enix, 2k, Koei Tecmo, Bandai Namco, they could absolutely publish games with game cards.
Heck, the fact that they probably produced a significant amount of games on game key cards, and those not selling at all, because you still have to manufacture the box, may have harm them more than producing a game card in lesser quantities to reduce the risk.

Our humble opinion is, YES, big publishers just wanted more margin and thought, given the Switch consumers are not too regarding to buy a game, that it would sell no matter what, especially at launch, with only Mario Kart World. And you know what, Nintendo knew this. They marketed GKC for those big publishers and launched the Switch with only Mario Kart because they knew most people buy at least 2 games with a new console, for variety's sake. It was all planned.

In the same time, Nintendo only allowed 64 gb game cards to push this bullshit to little publishers.

But they just forgot one fact, that Switch consumers are much more attached to physical games than on other platforms. I mean compare Switch gamers and Xbox gamers and you easily see the difference in consumption habits. And their game in a digital format would have, of course, made the same results. But I hear you, yes GKC are better than strictly digital. But they hoped that it would really worked, and so in the future they could sell it too because people had validated it. It is just a first step, like gamepass at 1$, then you rise tremendously the price in case of success. Different product, same strategy. It's all a matter of getting the consumers used to it.

So now they are crying, and I'm here to laugh at them. Well deserved.

 

[Robb]

Nintendo is interested in knowing our opinión about Keycards.

 

[DreamcastSkies]

I hope all the frustrated voices I see on the internet over this let their opinions be known.

 

[awwr999999]

1) It's a nightmare for game conservation, as the games are only located on Nintendo's servers. Once that server is phased out, which it will be eventually, access to that game just poofs into thin air. That's not good.

The idea that Nintendo will ever phase out a platform with >150mil online consoles in the wild is absurd.
If the big consoles (PS2, SNES) had been online from the start studios would still be making games for them and users would still be buying those games.
Users won't ever abandon a console that keeps getting new games and studios won't ever stop making games for a platform that has lots of users.

A smarter Nintendo could've made their "SNES Classic" console an online only SNES console with 5GB of storage (1GB holds the entire existing SNES library) and sold it for $200 with one wired SNES controller.
If it looked exactly like an SNES and had the exact same wired SNES controllers - hundreds of millions of people would buy it, regardless of what it actually does.
Brand new AAA SNES games would start rolling in from studios because users would buy them.
They could sell new collectible carts (box, manual, extras) that just tell the console which digital game to play and rack up an another $10-20 per game from people who want the full SNES experience.

Nintendo could launch or relaunch additional online consoles but it would be insane for them to ever stop selling games to users with existing ones.
Nintendo being publicly traded means that an obviously counterproductive move like that would effectively be impossible.

 

[yogaflame]

No to key cards.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Oh man the multi billion dollar company defenders are surely something Still can't comprehend how you can feel any attachment let alone loyalty for a company you're not even part of. At the end of the day, in a free market economy it shouldn't even matter if the customer has a legitimate point or anything, the customer is always right. What happened to that?

 

[Fess]

What's the point of buying Elden Ring and RDR 2, if you can get those games on PC or PS5/PS4 where their versions look bette

Switch 2 means you can play in bed. It might run better on Switch 2 than Steam Deck too. And maybe you don't have the PC in the living room but want to play in the couch. Etc

 

[DryvBy]

Weird since the internet is under the impression that physical is dead. Why would they care if it satisfies physical gamers?

 

[Xion_Stellar]

Key cards are (sadly) a benefit to consumers.

Yeah you're completely right! Screw those porer countries who don't have affordable Internet access, still have data caps, or no consistent internet access to begin with.

It's not a real concern that Nintendo won't keep these servers around forever right? It's not like they have literary shut down every other single online service that they have come up with right?

Heck let's all just forget about the idea of game preservation altogether and embrace our corporate overlords and not own anything that we buy anymore.

We don't need to think about the future we just need to live in the moment.

/S

 

[Chittagong]

Well, here you go, Nintendo:

They are fucking shit innit.

 

[Effigenius]

I bought one third party switch 2 game. It was Cyber Punk. So you figure it out.

 

[Effigenius]

Key cards are (sadly) a benefit to consumers.
If you want to know why, please read on.

I've worked in publishing for all four major platforms, and produced physical games for Switch, PS4/5, and Xbox. Here is the reality: game cards are far more expensive to manufacture than discs, and thus order minimums are harder to hit, and margins are slimmer for Switch games. It simply comes down to the form factor.

During the Switch 1 era, there were only two choices if we wanted to release a "physical" game. We could either risk producing game cards at a high quantity and slim margins, or we could produce empty boxes with download codes. For some of our games, many of which were unknown indie titles, we saw time and time again that the higher quantity minimums were not viable. We often even took chances, and ended up losing money and being stuck with inventory. Sometimes things would pay off, but other times they wouldn't. Companies like Limited Run deal with this all the time, which is why they're so selective about the games they manufacture.

If we went with download codes inside a box (or even just digital sales), that prohibits any form of resale or traditional lending of that game for the consumer. It's simply bound to your account, and that's that.

With key cards, we at least have a middle ground. You're able to resell a key card. You're able to lend out a key card. For all intents and purposes, so long as you have an internet connection and the servers remain in tact (which admittedly is a concern, but the same concern exists for all digital purchases or games that require any form of download to start), you have a physical copy of said game.

sounds like they are only a benefit to the game companies. Oh no, selling years old games at full price on a switch cart eats into their profits! Can't have that! Yakuza 0 came out in 2015 and is routinely on sale for $5. But the switch 2 version is $50 for some reason and ISNT on cart. They can seriously go fuck themselves with that.

 

[xrnzaaas]

So how long until a Nintendo made game is released in a key card format? Probably not right away, but at some point they're going to test the waters for sure.

 

[MrJangles]

I'm not even sure what they are or do but am quite aware its supposed to be a shit concept. And I'm a Nintendo fan. Apart from a lack of games I'm interested in its one if the reasons I haven't bought a S2 yet.

 

[daxgame]

I dislike them - but also understand that for some games it might be inevitable (the alternative is code in a box).
What I despise is those publisher with 20 GB of a game not putting it on a cart.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

I dislike them - but also understand that for some games it might be inevitable (the alternative is code in a box).
What I despise is those publisher with 20 GB of a game not putting it on a cart.

This is always the argument I see from Nintendo fans trying to defend the keycards. No, it isn't any better than a code in a box. These things aren't going to retain any value.

 

[lh032]

Nintendo: Your concern is noted.

 

[daxgame]

This is always the argument I see from Nintendo fans trying to defend the keycards. No, it isn't any better than a code in a box. These things aren't going to retain any value.

? Of course it's better, it factually is, because you can at least resell it (at least until servers die in 2050 or whatever).
This has nothing to do with "Nintendo fans", it has to do with reality.

 

[6502]

There are so many stupid takes in this thread, starting with this one:

These are products we are talking about. Economics and logistics are exactly the two things Nintendo, and literally every single company takes into account. If you have an issue with that, take it up with the entire concept of capitalism.

Key cards are (sadly) a benefit to consumers.
If you want to know why, please read on.

I've worked in publishing for all four major platforms, and produced physical games for Switch, PS4/5, and Xbox. Here is the reality: game cards are far more expensive to manufacture than discs, and thus order minimums are harder to hit, and margins are slimmer for Switch games. It simply comes down to the form factor.

During the Switch 1 era, there were only two choices if we wanted to release a "physical" game. We could either risk producing game cards at a high quantity and slim margins, or we could produce empty boxes with download codes. For some of our games, many of which were unknown indie titles, we saw time and time again that the higher quantity minimums were not viable. We often even took chances, and ended up losing money and being stuck with inventory. Sometimes things would pay off, but other times they wouldn't. Companies like Limited Run deal with this all the time, which is why they're so selective about the games they manufacture.

If we went with download codes inside a box (or even just digital sales), that prohibits any form of resale or traditional lending of that game for the consumer. It's simply bound to your account, and that's that.

With key cards, we at least have a middle ground. You're able to resell a key card. You're able to lend out a key card. For all intents and purposes, so long as you have an internet connection and the servers remain in tact (which admittedly is a concern, but the same concern exists for all digital purchases or games that require any form of download to start), you have a physical copy of said game.

It is an ADDITIONAL OPTION for consumers, and one that is better than download codes.

The reality is that without key cards, there will be many games that simply will not see any form of physical release. Games that won't have a chance to live on a shelf, or won't be able to be resold.

Because Switch 2 games have a higher minimum storage, they are already more expensive to produce than Switch 1 games. That's the reality, and it's a necessity to have modern games in a portable form factor. So the problem is even harder to deal with for any smaller publisher that wants to release a product physically, but can't commit to absurdly high minimums, or razor thing margins.

I'm not saying it's a perfect solution. But short of expecting Nintendo to just eat the costs on lower quantity physical manufacturing (which is absurd to think any company would do so), I can't think of a better solution.

The alternative to the existence of key cards is that either A. We have fewer physical games, or B. We have far more boxed download code papers.

—————————

Okay, now let me address the gigantic downside to key cards: They can be abused.

As I mentioned already, key cards are a great alternative for a game that simply otherwise would not have a physical release. But, to my current knowledge, there is nothing stopping a big publisher (say Ubisoft) from releasing their next AAA game on a key card instead of a real game card in order to save money per unit. This ends up being the greed of publishers that decide to not release what is clearly a large enough game on a real game card, and I fully believe we should take issue with that practice.

My personal solution to that would be for Nintendo to implement an order maximum on key cards, something that I don't think has ever existed before. Let's say a publisher wants to order more than 100,000 units of a game less than 64gb, they should be required to manufacture that game on a game card. Nintendo controls all manufacturing of Switch cards, so this is absolutely something they could implement.

I haven't produced any Switch 2 games yet, so I don't actually know the stipulations, requirements, and restrictions on production, but I would hope that Nintendo has implemented some way to prevent publishers from abusing the key card system.

Additional option??? How many games are readily available in both full on cart and key card??

Let's be real, this will further erode the physical market and is inherintly flawed still relying on online infrastructure.

We may get a few extra titles now, but in the long run media choice and long term viability of collections will be eroded.

 

[spons]

It's probably "expensive" to put out 64GB cards, but then again I have no clue on the actual cost on Nintendo's side. 10 bucks? Probably even less. These things are mass-produced on a ridiculous scale. On smaller cards the cost is even less significant. I understand the state of the industry is doo-doo at the moment, and any margin is welcome for publishers, no matter how small, especially for titles that do not shift massive amounts of units. But from my perspective, key cards and codes in boxes aren't any different from digital downloads. Ultimately, it's about removing choice for the consumer.

Obviously the servers will be turned off somewhere in the future where all these things turn into bricks, although the Wii shop still allows for re-downloads, so it's not like Nintendo is trigger happy with the off-button. We're almost 19 years in on that thing. That's only a year longer than when Steam got third-party titles.

 

[KloetenQuetsche]

They can sold me a Keycard if there was included a guaranty card signed by myamoto itself that I can download it in 2080. And if not I own half of the company.

 

[deriks]

If you could buy a empty card and download the thing into it, things could be different. I guess that SD cards came first, so eh

 

[Scrawnton]

Seems like plenty of Nintendo fans here are in favor of them since they rush to the defense of them whenever some one brings up an issue with it. So I don't see anything changing.

We went through an entire generation of games that were codes in a box or partial codes in a box where one game was on the cart and the others were download codes (Capcom was guilty as hell for this). GKC is 100% an improvement on what third parties were doing on switch. Dare I say, it's a much better pro consumer option.

Are GKCs perfect? No. But they much better than what companies were doing.

Where was all this energy the last 8 years when companies were releasing incomplete discs on PS/Xbox that made the discs a glorified GKC? Are people only mad because Nintendo was upfront and gave a name to this type of business practice whereas other companies still just don't care and push out useless discs?

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

We went through an entire generation of games that were codes in a box or partial codes in a box where one game was on the cart and the others were download codes (Capcom was guilty as hell for this). GKC is 100% an improvement on what third parties were doing on switch. Dare I say, it's a much better pro consumer option.

Are GKCs perfect? No. But they much better than what companies were doing.

Where was all this energy the last 8 years when companies were releasing incomplete discs on PS/Xbox that made the discs a glorified GKC? Are people only mad because Nintendo was upfront and gave a name to this type of business practice whereas other companies still just don't care and push out useless discs?

It wasn't good then. It's not good now.

Don't get me wrong, I don't care about any of this shit either way, being that I have not bought a physical game in over 15 years. And while I don't know about others, I will say the same thing I have always said. If you are selling a physical copy of a game, then the game should be on it. If you are selling a digital copy, then that should only be in the digital store.

Its not about who is doing this or isn't, sony, Nintendo... whoever... right isd right and wrong is wrong.

As I've mentioned before, I feel we're all in the same boat when it comes to digital distribution. We are all fighting over dumb shit when what we should be doing is finding a way to set rules and standards that every company distributing games digitally must adhere to. Right now, digital distribution is unregulated. Every company just does whatever the fuck they want to do, and at the end of the day, it's the consumer that gets the shaft.

 

[FUBARx89]

Other companies who slap a little bit of data on the disc and force you to download should take note.

Hint hint, Microsoft & Activision.

 

[Kotaro]

Yea, I can't even defend Nintendo with GKC…..i mean they totally don't sell, what more surveys do they need?

 

[hemo memo]

I say stop dancing around it and just start selling empty box art with an empty decorative card and be done with it.

 

[Spukc]

boomer thread

 

[KungFucius]

They could make these things single use. By that I mean instead of having a code in the box, have the code in the key cart and save the buyer the hassle of entering the code.

One step better would be to let the code be transferred back to the cart so it could be resold, etc.

 

[Scrawnton]

It wasn't good then. It's not good now.

Don't get me wrong, I don't care about any of this shit either way, being that I have not bought a physical game in over 15 years. And while I don't know about others, I will say the same thing I have always said. If you are selling a physical copy of a game, then the game should be on it. If you are selling a digital copy, then that should only be in the digital store.

Its not about who is doing this or isn't, sony, Nintendo... whoever... right isd right and wrong is wrong.

As I've mentioned before, I feel we're all in the same boat when it comes to digital distribution. We are all fighting over dumb shit when what we should be doing is finding a way to set rules and standards that every company distributing games digitally must adhere to. Right now, digital distribution is unregulated. Every company just does whatever the fuck they want to do, and at the end of the day, it's the consumer that gets the shaft.

Amen.

They could make these things single use. By that I mean instead of having a code in the box, have the code in the key cart and save the buyer the hassle of entering the code.

One step better would be to let the code be transferred back to the cart so it could be resold, etc.

That's exactly what GKCs are... they are a code on a cart that triggers a download that's only playable if the cart is in the system. The cart then can be traded, lended, or sold just like a physical game and it's usable by the other person. GKCs aren't drm tied to only the first buyers account.

 

[mèx]

Game Keycards are a disgrace. If you want to do physical media do it properly, this half-assed attempt is laughable.

 

[hemo memo]

It's rare to see Nintendo this self-aware. Good job.

 

[Xion_Stellar]

If you could buy a empty card and download the thing into it, things could be different. I guess that SD cards came first, so eh

The funny thing is that Nintendo has actually done this before.

In Japan, Nintendo offered a service called Nintendo Power (not to be confused with the American magazine) where people could download Super Famicom and Game Boy games onto special flash memory cartridges. This service, which ran from 1997 to 2007, allowed users to purchase games digitally at a lower cost than pre-written cartridges. The service initially focused on Super Famicom titles and later expanded to include Game Boy games.

Where was all this energy the last 8 years when companies were releasing incomplete discs on PS/Xbox that made the discs a glorified GKC? Are people only mad because Nintendo was upfront and gave a name to this type of business practice whereas other companies still just don't care and push out useless discs?

This partially feels like a manufactured problem by Nintendo.

Nintendo said that they came up with Key Card games because they wanted to give developers the ability to release games physically without having to pay for the big expenses involved in that process so two things come to mind.

If Nintendo was "truly concerned" about the cost of manufacturing these cartridges then why didn't they come up with a more cost effective method of media? Was someone holding a gun to their had that told them they just HAD to use the same type of storage device at the same physical size?

Yeah I understand that if they wanted a cheap no effort involved of having Switch 1 backwards compatibility without paying to install a Dual Slot system like they did with the Nintendo DS then forcefully using the same medium was the way to go but they had 8 years to figure this out.

If cost was really a concern then why are they only manufacturing 64GB Cards that most developers don't need because their games are too small in file size to justify the cost? They couldn't have figured out their manufacturing process of these things for lower capacity cartridges before launch?

This just feels like Nintendo (and the Bank people in charge of the Company now) are pretending to care about physical media while pushing developers and their customers to feel like going digital is the better option because Nintendo gets a bigger cut of a game sale from eShop purchases.

The recent whining of 3rd party publishers and this survey shows that people don't want these things and that they aren't selling enough to justify their existence.

Players would look at this and say if I have download the game anyways then why bother? Just buy it digital.

Publisher will see that the Game Key Cards are not selling so they'll put codes on a box again just like WWE 2K25 on Switch 2 is already doing and when those fail to sell enough they won't bother pretending to care and go full digital on the eShop because at least that way both the publisher and Nintendo get a bigger cut from the sale because they don't have to pay retailers.

 

[BlackTron]

Unless Nintendo step in and just get rid of them completely, I don't think this is going to do anything. It's ultimately up to the publishers to decide whether or not to use them, and we all know how money-grubbing they are.

Technically true but the options given to publishers by Nintendo essentially ensured they had no other realistic option. It's up to Nintendo to create a situation it is even viable first.

The only cart size is 64GB.

 

[StereoVsn]

Keycards are obviously and . Yeah, they are slightly better vs code in the box but still aren't welcome considering modern game prices.

But what Nintendo in particular needs to be lambasted for is not including smaller sized cart options. Why not have say 16/20Gb and 32GB carts? Why limit them only to 64GB ?

There are plenty of games that could fit into smaller space and the carts should be cheaper.

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

They could make these things single use. By that I mean instead of having a code in the box, have the code in the key cart and save the buyer the hassle of entering the code.

One step better would be to let the code be transferred back to the cart so it could be resold, etc.

In all honesty... GKC currently stands as the best way to handle digital content. For the simple reason that you can sell it on, rent it...whatever. That solves I believe, the single biggest issue with digital content. This is something I would actually get behind if everyone else did. Or some sort of mix of the two.

In a perfect world... how it should work should be something like this across all platforms.

• When you buy a game, what you should get is a Key.
• If this is a digital purchase, then that key goes to your "digital keychain", that keychain is tied to your digital account. So you can only play a game from your account if you are signed in, the game would require an internet connection for initial boot. The internet connection is how the system checks if you have the key to play the game. You can download any game whenever you want, but you cant play the game unless you have the boot key.
• If its a physical (digital) purchase, then the key would be on a disc, card, whatever. And you can only play the game if said activation media is present.

The upside of a system like this would be simply that you can and should be able to sell, rent and or even share your key. And when doing so, the system is designed in such a way that you no longer have access to said key. This solves one of the single biggest issues with digital distribution today.

The second issue is game preservation. Currently, with or without keys, our game purchases are tied to the platform holder. Be that Sony, Nintendo...whoever. So, even with a key, that still requires some sort of connection to the platform holder to play the game, if that platform holder no longer hosts the means to authenticate the key for the game, then your game is gone. Ideally, there should be something in place that means that as long as you have that key, you can always play that game. No matter how long it has been. We should be able to just download games and leave them on an external drive or something or hell you should vene be able to download games from torrent sites/third party sites and whatnot, but can only play said games with official keys from the platform holder.

But this part is near impossible to implement for reasons I cant get into, as this post would become even longer than it is. Long story short, the only feasible way to do that would be for the platform holder to continue bing the overseer of your library. And that part is kinda scray.

Game Keycards are a disgrace. If you want to do physical media do it properly, this half-assed attempt is laughable.

The only reason anyone has an issue with GKC is because its stands as a point of reference to channel our hate for something that has already been happening for over a decade. At least Nintendo had the decency to tell us we are being fucked. Everyone else just raw dogged us and called it "reasons". Think about this, there are currently games on PS and Xbox, that if you buy the disc, there will come a time in the near future, that having that disc would mean nothing, as you likely wouldn't even be able to download the rest of the game.

Lets not pretend this is a new thing, Nintendo just put a name on it.


Oh...and don't even get me started on game patches.... which honestly means that every single pysical game that has or needs a patch is a scam.

 

[existensmaximum]

I understand. In concept it should provide more value to the consumer, but I believe everybody who would value that aspect of it, would just rather get the physical game for real.

The Keycard is a way of eroding physical media. For the publishers, it's a way of going digital without really doing it. All this is gonna do is kill physical media in the end. And I, and most people I've talked to, don't like it.

If you're gonna have a game on store shelves, at least try to make it full physical. This is about empowering physical.

Also, if you're going digital, you do it for the convenience of having it all on the system menu. Having to deal with Keycards to manage your games is an added hassle. It aint gonna work. Eventually people will avoid buying Keycards..

Of course! Don't get me wrong, I hate digital titles and I never buy them, I'm all for physical media.

In just saying, if they refuse to give us that - this is at least not as bad as a digital download that we can't resell. But I would love it if every title was released physically.

 

[Xion_Stellar]

Of course! Don't get me wrong, I hate digital titles and I never buy them, I'm all for physical media.

In just saying, if they refuse to give us that - this is at least not as bad as a digital download that we can't resell. But I would love it if every title was released physically.

That just makes it sound like you put more importance on the resale value of your purchase instead of being important because it's something that you can keep forever that doesn't required a full game install/download or a server validation to work.

If Nintendo allows you to trad/resale digital games back to them would you be OK with digital games at that point?

For me it's a matter of not trusting Nintendo because of their long history of quickly shutting down every other online service and eShop that they have used up until this point.

I'm looking at my SEGA Genesis 3 system that's still plugged to my CRT TV that still have those games I had for years now that still work

These Game Key Card games? I expect them to be in a landfill 20-30 years from now because clearly not enough people want them now and even less people are going to want them later.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

They suck, the box should have a giant warning on the front and the back.

 

[acm2000]

How far must you be disconnected from the gaming industry to having to ask gamers if they are ok with an empty box sold for $80?

I mean it's more than you get when you spend $80 the digital version and you can't resell that.

 

[Horseganador]

I think the ridiculous sales of third parties that appear on key cards is their answer; nobody wants them, and it's better to resolve the issue quickly.

 

[SILKYSMOOTH30FPS]

I mean it's more than you get when you spend $80 the digital version and you can't resell that.

That isn't saying much because i consider digital to be a scam compared to physical copies. For me, for a digital copy to be worth buying over physical, the game should be at least $10 cheaper, and that's simply never the case.

 

[Scrawnton]

Nintendo said that they came up with Key Card games because they wanted to give developers the ability to release games physically without having to pay for the big expenses involved in that process so two things come to mind.

If Nintendo was "truly concerned" about the cost of manufacturing these cartridges then why didn't they come up with a more cost effective method of media? Was someone holding a gun to their had that told them they just HAD to use the same type of storage device at the same physical size?

Yeah I understand that if they wanted a cheap no effort involved of having Switch 1 backwards compatibility without paying to install a Dual Slot system like they did with the Nintendo DS then forcefully using the same medium was the way to go but they had 8 years to figure this out.

If cost was really a concern then why are they only manufacturing 64GB Cards that most developers don't need because their games are too small in file size to justify the cost? They couldn't have figured out their manufacturing process of these things for lower capacity cartridges before launch?

This just feels like Nintendo (and the Bank people in charge of the Company now) are pretending to care about physical media while pushing developers and their customers to feel like going digital is the better option because Nintendo gets a bigger cut of a game sale from eShop purchases.

Wasn't there a rumor about 64gb being the minimum size the carts can be produced to maintain the read speed specs required for the system? Isn't even possible for Nintendo to manufacture smaller cards?

If the option is faster loading but physical media is impacted by the economics of said tech, then so be it. GKC is much better than codes in a box for this situation.

People are free to vote with their wallets but it's obvious gaming is trending towards digital anyway. This is all just old man yelling at cloud territory at this point.

 

[cireza]

Already received a survey about Switch 2 and told them how shit keycards are. But I will happily repeat myself in another survey.

 

[jshackles]

I own over 300 physical Switch games. I own one Switch 2 game (Mario Kart World) and am about to own a second (Donkey Kong Bananza). There are a few games like Bravely Default or Raidou that I would have happily bought if they were on the cart. Several upcoming cross-gen games I'm planning on buying for Switch 1 instead of Switch 2, because the Switch 2 games are key cards: Dragon Quest 1 & 2, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Trails Beyond the Horizon. If these games were all on the Switch 2 cartridges, I'd be really looking forward to adding them to my physical collection.

At some point soon games will stop being cross gen, and I'll be faced with the same decision as Bravely Default - either buy the key card or buy digital. And I think when those are my choices, I'll just pass on these games all together. I've got plenty of other games to play.

 

[cireza]

I own over 300 physical Switch games. I own one Switch 2 game (Mario Kart World) and am about to own a second (Donkey Kong Bananza). There are a few games like Bravely Default or Raidou that I would have happily bought if they were on the cart. Several upcoming cross-gen games I'm planning on buying for Switch 1 instead of Switch 2, because the Switch 2 games are key cards: Dragon Quest 1 & 2, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Trails Beyond the Horizon. If these games were all on the Switch 2 cartridges, I'd be really looking forward to adding them to my physical collection.

At some point soon games will stop being cross gen, and I'll be faced with the same decision as Bravely Default - either buy the key card or buy digital. And I think when those are my choices, I'll just pass on these games all together. I've got plenty of other games to play.

Didn't buy any game with my Switch 2 because of fucking game key cards.

Want to sell games ? Put them on proper carts.

 

[near]

Seems like a pointless endeavour. Those who partake in the survey will obviously indicate a preference for shipping full games on cartridges. What will Nintendo do to reverse course? GKCs were introduced to as a solution to rising costs of distributing on larger cartridges, how will they then address this issue to resolve customer dissatisfaction?

 

[cireza]

GKCs were introduced to as a solution to rising costs of distributing on larger cartridges

I don't think so. The issue is not the price of 64 GB carts, it is the absence of 8/16/32 GB carts.

 

[near]

I don't think so. The issue is not the price of 64 GB carts, it is the absence of 8/16/32 GB carts.

Okay, I was wrong on that part. Just read up on what you've mentioned here. The cost of distributing on the larger 64GB cart is a problem, but a problem Nintendo created deliberately then?

Have they ever mentioned why they've stopped offering the other tiers as options?