NIS America: a Game-Key Card on the Nintendo Switch 2 is the most beneficial option for our customers

jshackles

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Short answer:
in-your-face-fuck-you.gif
 
I mean obviously some vanilla corporate BS is the only realistic answer you'll get to that. But hopefully the backlash on these Game-Key Card things will get third-parties to think twice about them for future releases.
 
I'm not going to buy any digital games on Switch 2 or any that don't come complete on the cartridge. Luckily, Nintendo exclusives do come complete. For third parties, I have Steam and a Steam Deck, so the only way I would buy a third-party game on Switch 2 would be if it came complete on a cartridge.
 
I get why they are doing this since 64GB cards are reportedly $15ish (before any tariffs).

This is all on Nintendo for not having smaller and cheaper sized carts available.

And I wish publishers would offer a more expensive "full" version with the entire game on the cart as an option.

The whole thing is a mess. And no I won't be buying many (if any) key-card games unless on a deep sale.
 
Real question:
For those refusing the buy the key card game,
If the game was digital only, would you buy it digitally?

I'm curious because if you would, would you rather have a digital copy you can't resell later or one that could?

No one should see key card games as physical games. They should only see them as digital games you can resell.
With the high cost of physical NSW carts, I think most of these companies weighed the options of doing this or just being 100% digital.
 
I still think is better than digital only and code in the box… Because the resell value… It was not an issue for games than comes in Key-Blurays like Call of Duty 🤷‍♂️.
 
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And if that's the case... then why didn't Disgaea sell?

This company is niche in itself... and they engage in these practices, it's like shooting themselves in the foot.

Now bring me my port of The Guided Fate Paradox.
 
Customers seem to be disagreeing with that though. Both of the collector's edition games they're offering with game key cards have been sitting at 100% stock level since being put up for ordering.
 
th4tguy said:
Real question:
For those refusing the buy the key card game,
If the game was digital only, would you buy it digitally?

I'm curious because if you would, would you rather have a digital copy you can't resell later or one that could?

No one should see key card games as physical games. They should only see them as digital games you can resell.
With the high cost of physical NSW carts, I think most of these companies weighed the options of doing this or just being 100% digital.
Click to expand...
No, at least in my case, the only reason I bought the Nintendo Switch 2 is because of the exclusives and the promise that they will come complete in their cartridges. I don't care about resale because what matters to me is being able to keep the copy and not depend on server availability, especially knowing that Nintendo has already closed the Wii/WiiU and 3DS eShop. If at some point they stopped selling exclusive games on cartridges, I would probably sell it and wait until it is possible to emulate and play these games in pirated versions in the future.
 
StereoVsn said:
I get why they are doing this since 64GB cards are reportedly $15ish (before any tariffs).

This is all on Nintendo for not having smaller and cheaper sized carts available.

And I wish publishers would offer a more expensive "full" version with the entire game on the cart as an option.

The whole thing is a mess. And no I won't be buying many (if any) key-card games unless on a deep sale.
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Don't buy it, not even on sale. Those cards aren't really worth anything.

That's why I had to buy IA The Somnium Files on Switch, not Switch 2.
 
Most benefitial for them. They could literally increases the prices, launch scummy practices and all this can be classified as benefical for them. Theres no benefit for players at all.
 
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StereoVsn said:
I get why they are doing this since 64GB cards are reportedly $15ish (before any tariffs).

This is all on Nintendo for not having smaller and cheaper sized carts available.

And I wish publishers would offer a more expensive "full" version with the entire game on the cart as an option.

The whole thing is a mess. And no I won't be buying many (if any) key-card games unless on a deep sale.
Click to expand...
What's weird is that this game (Trails Beyond the Horizon), is $10 more expensive on Switch 2 for the key-card than it is on the Switch 1 as a full game cartridge ($70 vs $60). So it feels like they're getting you coming and going here: you're already paying a premium but getting the worse product.

th4tguy said:
Real question:
For those refusing the buy the key card game,
If the game was digital only, would you buy it digitally?

I'm curious because if you would, would you rather have a digital copy you can't resell later or one that could?

No one should see key card games as physical games. They should only see them as digital games you can resell.
With the high cost of physical NSW carts, I think most of these companies weighed the options of doing this or just being 100% digital.
Click to expand...
I consider these key-cards to be the same as digital only games. I usually only buy digital games if they're on a massive discount (75% off, or more). The price has to be reflective of me losing the digital copy somewhere down the line - either the store shutting down or account shenanigans. I haven't bought any game key cards, and I don't really plan on doing it, but I think that same 75% off would be my jumping on point. I think I'd rather just have the digital download at that price anyway, because it comes with the convenience of not switching cartridges and I don't personally care about resell value.

So, they're taking something I would have gladly paid $70 for (if it were on the cart) and made it into something that I'm going to wait for a sale of about $20 before I'd buy it. If it never drops that low, I'd just rather skip it entirely.
 
th4tguy said:
Real question:
For those refusing the buy the key card game,
If the game was digital only, would you buy it digitally?

I'm curious because if you would, would you rather have a digital copy you can't resell later or one that could?

No one should see key card games as physical games. They should only see them as digital games you can resell.
With the high cost of physical NSW carts, I think most of these companies weighed the options of doing this or just being 100% digital.
Click to expand...
I see them as digital games. I don't sell my games but I prefer to buy physical. Given the lack of real choice I will buy digital for convenience in booting the game. But I'd rather pay the physical price and collect the cart. Overall I will be buying less games.
 
th4tguy said:
Real question:
For those refusing the buy the key card game,
If the game was digital only, would you buy it digitally?

I'm curious because if you would, would you rather have a digital copy you can't resell later or one that could?

No one should see key card games as physical games. They should only see them as digital games you can resell.
With the high cost of physical NSW carts, I think most of these companies weighed the options of doing this or just being 100% digital.
Click to expand...
My answer would be: don't buy anything digital, especially on the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 and its basic memory.

Since the PS3, my motto has been, only if they cost $4.99 to $14.99, otherwise... it's not worth it.
 
jshackles said:
What's weird is that this game (Trails Beyond the Horizon), is $10 more expensive on Switch 2 for the key-card than it is on the Switch 1 as a full game cartridge ($70 vs $60). So it feels like they're getting you coming and going here: you're already paying a premium but getting the worse product.


I consider these key-cards to be the same as digital only games. I usually only buy digital games if they're on a massive discount (75% off, or more). The price has to be reflective of me losing the digital copy somewhere down the line - either the store shutting down or account shenanigans. I haven't bought any game key cards, and I don't really plan on doing it, but I think that same 75% off would be my jumping on point. I think I'd rather just have the digital download at that price anyway, because it comes with the convenience of not switching cartridges and I don't personally care about resell value.

So, they're taking something I would have gladly paid $70 for (if it were on the cart) and made it into something that I'm going to wait for a sale of about $20 before I'd buy it. If it never drops that low, I'd just rather skip it entirely.
Click to expand...
Wait, it's on Key-Card and MORE expensive on Switch 2? Alright, that's complete BS then.

I really hope folks just don't buy these stupid key-cards.
 
Did anyone every figure out what the difference is in raw cost to the Publisher between different sizes of cards for Switch 2? That's a pretty key piece of information for this whole discussion.
 
The benefit of physical release on Switch was that it was entirely on the card (usually) and didn't require a download. Considering games are now often over 100gb in size, that 256gb internal storage won't cut it. And even adding a 512gb card doesn't help much.
 
Evil Calvin said:
The benefit of physical release on Switch was that it was entirely on the card (usually) and didn't require a download. Considering games are now often over 100gb in size, that 256gb internal storage won't cut it. And even adding a 512gb card doesn't help much.
Click to expand...
This… For big games there's no option, is digital or key card. Big games like GTA6 on Ps5 and XSeries are probably going to use Key Blueray too. I think the issue that some people have is for small games, obviously companies are going to choose Key Card for a bigger profit margin.
 
StereoVsn said:
I get why they are doing this since 64GB cards are reportedly $15ish (before any tariffs).

This is all on Nintendo for not having smaller and cheaper sized carts available.

And I wish publishers would offer a more expensive "full" version with the entire game on the cart as an option.

The whole thing is a mess. And no I won't be buying many (if any) key-card games unless on a deep sale.
Click to expand...

Ok but if Marvelous Interactive can afford to give us games physically on the card how is it that others can't?? Marvelous isn't exactly super flush with cash compared to SEGA, Capcom, or other Japanese publishers.

Yes, it'd on Nintendo at some point, but Nintendo needs to do better. Things will get real bad real soon if 90% of their games are game-keys. There's simply not enough storage space, and sd express cards are either prohibitively expensive or non existent.

Someone, somewhere didn't think this fully through.
 
What he probably means is that it's the less expensive option for players lol I'm wondering if the normal cards will go down in price for publishers once third parties start publishing more of them... October can't come soon enough
 
Gambit2483 said:
Ok but if Marvelous Interactive can afford to give us games physically on the card how is it that others can't?? Marvelous isn't exactly super flush with cash compared to SEGA, Capcom, or other Japanese publishers.

Yes, it'd on Nintendo at some point, but Nintendo needs to do better. Things will get real bad real soon if 90% of their games are game-keys. There's simply not enough storage space, and sd express cards are either prohibitively expensive or non existent.

Someone, somewhere didn't think this fully through.
Click to expand...
Yep, it is a shit show. Not sure how Marvelous is eating the cost but it is fairly high even for a $70 game, not to mention $60.

Overall though companies pushing Key-Cards shouldn't be jacking up prices, that's for sure. There is no excuse to have a higher cost for a key-card version vs Switch 1 game on an actual cart.
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
Your coworker has impeccable taste

images
Click to expand...

He actually does. I told him how much I like space odyssey and he hooked me up with a copy of Solaris which I LOVED.

I actually watched Barry Lyndon for the first time a few weeks back (loved it) and have been waiting for a good opportunity to talk with him about it.

I like movies where everyone stfu, I guess.
 
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Could you imagine what they could charge for limited editions if they included the full game on the cart? These folks are passing on mad money.
 
The biggest (and perhaps only practical) reason these key cards suck is file size. Switch 2 storage is small and the SD cards to expand storage are expensive and hard to find. We are going to run out of space fast on our Switch 2s. Needing to connect to the internet to install the game is hardly a problem.
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
Your coworker has impeccable taste

images
Click to expand...

Yes he does! I collect Criterion physicals as well, I have a massive collection, and HOUSE rocks!

To add to the thread, I have traditionally loved buying the NIS Collector's editions, have lots of them, but this will cause me to not buy them at all.

I agree with some above saying the Key Cards are just like digital copies, i.e. - I won't touch them unless they're on massive discount, as I know someday they'll be taken away from me.
 
This is Nintendo's fault and they are repeating what happened with the N64, but now Nintendo is the best selling console so they are in a position to not care.

With the N64, developers chose going to PlayStation because they didn't want to pay for the cartridge and deal with its limitations.

With the Switch 2, Nintendo can say f.. you to everyone because it's a big market. Since developers don't want to pay astronomical prices for its cartridges, they have to deal with key-cards.

All in all, consumers are the ones who lose the most as always. But hopefully our wallets get to speak for us, and cause some change in Nintendo's greed.
 
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Man, NISA is really acting dumb here. Most of the customers who buy their physical games are on Switch and soon on Switch 2, and these customers prefer to have their niche JRPGs fully on the cart. I wish them the best, but with decisions like this, I wouldn't be surprised if Falcom drops them (they're already using a different publisher for Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter). I know for sure that I won't touch any game key card release with a 10 foot pole!
 
Nydius said:
You're using that phrase wrong in this case because with a game key card, shitty as it is, I still own the physical card and could give it away or resell it.

Unlike 100% digital, where I can't do any of those things.
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You can resell game key cards, theoretically. They may even be immune to those MiG Switch dump nonsense that got consoles banned.
 
Can someone explain to me what's the difference between:
  1. A digital purchase on eSHOP vs
  2. game key card? not sure I understand what this one is compared to physical game cartridge) does it mean there's a physical cart in the box that you have to put in the switch to play? or is it a download code?
 
thatJohann said:
game key card? not sure I understand what this one is compared to physical game cartridge) does it mean there's a physical cart in the box that you have to put in the switch to play? or is it a download code?
Click to expand...
It's and empty cart with a signature that can download the game, which can only be played with the cart in the console. They can be resold (I believe).
 
thatJohann said:
Can someone explain to me what's the difference between:
  1. A digital purchase on eSHOP vs
  2. game key card? not sure I understand what this one is compared to physical game cartridge) does it mean there's a physical cart in the box that you have to put in the switch to play? or is it a download code?
Click to expand...

The license for the game is bound to the key card. When you buy a game digitally, the license is bound to your account.

So with a game key card, you can loan that key card to a friend or sell it and the other person can play the game when they stick it in their machine. You don't have a way to loan or sell the keys that are bound to your account.
 
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