Most physical third-party Nintendo Switch 2 games in Japan revealed to date use Game-Key Cards, with a similar trend emerging in Western markets.
According to Gematsu, Japan’s Switch 2 pre-order launch showed that all third-party physical games, except CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 and non-Switch 2 Edition titles, are shipped as Game-Key Cards, requiring an internet connection to download the full game.
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
In the West, Sega’s Switch 2 titles are also Game-Key Cards. For instance, the Walmart listing for Sonic X Shadow Generations confirms this format.
Only four third-party physical Switch 2 games are not Game-Key Cards: Cyberpunk 2077, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - Nintendo Switch 2, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma - Nintendo Switch 2, and No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition.
When Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2, it noted that some Switch 2 game cards won’t include the actual game, but rather a download key. Nintendo later clarified that Switch 2 Edition games contain both the game and upgrades on the cartridge.
Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are physical cards containing only a download code, with no game data stored on them. Users must download the game after inserting the card. Each Game-Key Card case is clearly marked on the lower front of the box, ensuring buyers know what they’re purchasing.
Titles like Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster carry this game-key card disclaimer, while Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not. Cyberpunk 2077, at 64 GB on Nintendo Switch 2, is delivered on a cartridge.
Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes
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Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research & Insights at Niko Partners, noted that the reliance on Game-Key Cards could strain the eShop during the Switch 2’s June launch as players rush to download games.
All the Switch 2 bundles come with a download code.
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 24, 2025
Mario Kart World is 24GB.
Most games come on a game key card and require a download.
The Switch 2 launches globally on the same day.
I am not a religious man, but I ask you all to pray for the Eshop servers on June 5.
“Game cards cost significantly more than discs, with prices rising per GB,” Ahmad explained, highlighting why publishers opt for this approach.
“Producing game cards with varying storage capacities takes time. Digital games and lower-capacity cards yield higher profit margins for publishers, and digital sales dominate the market.”
Christopher Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, described Game-Key Cards as “essentially gift boxes for holidays or birthdays.”
“With fewer game retailers, rising production costs, a younger audience that’s indifferent, and a push for sustainability, physical media is trending in one clear direction,” Dring noted.
Switch 2 pre-orders began on April 24 and sold out quickly. Meanwhile, Nintendo fans are flooding eBay with fake Switch 2 auctions to counter scalper listings.
