Nintendo May Address Switch 2 Game-Key Card Complaints with New Cartridge Options

A sizeable portion of Nintendo Switch 2 players have been very vocal about their opposition to Game-Key Cards that allow players to digitally download a game rather than including it on a cartridge. But there's at least one publisher that's taken this criticism to heart by switching gears from Game-Key Cards back to cartridges, thanks to the new size options offered by Nintendo.

Inin Games shared the news that its upcoming US and European run of R-Type Dimensions III is going to be released on a physical cartridge instead of a Game-Key Card. The company also cited a recalculation of the production prices as a reason for the change. Apparently it's cheaper to release a game on Game-Key Cards, but the rumored measures taken by Nintendo apparently lowered the price for cartridges as well.

Game-Key Cards have been in physical Nintendo Switch 2 game boxes, but those cards don't actually include any game data. Instead, the Game-Key Cards allow the console to download the game from the internet. This approach has frustrated collectors and players who value physical game ownership, as it requires internet connectivity and additional storage space.

Nintendo hasn't issued any statement about this yet, but the rumors suggest that smaller cartridges are being offered in 16GB and 32GB sizes, both of which are cheaper than the standard 64GB cartridge. Publishers who wanted to sell Switch 2 games on physical cartridges were previously stuck paying for and using Nintendo's 64GB cartridge. The publishers who released larger games were also forced to use Game-Key Cards because their titles couldn't fit on a single cartridge. There's currently no indication that Nintendo is planning any cartridges bigger than 64GB to accommodate those larger games. If those were available, they might mitigate the need for Game-Key Cards.

The one bit of bad news from R-Type Dimensions III is that the game will be a little more expensive now that Inin Games is going for the physical cartridge. Regardless, Inin pledged to honor the original price for anyone who preordered the game before the change was made. This demonstrates the publisher's commitment to customer satisfaction while also acknowledging the economic realities of physical game production.

We'd like to sincerely thank the community for the passionate discussion, the feedback, and the patience over the past days, reads a statement by Inin Games. Your enthusiasm for physical games and for R-Type in particular made this solution possible, and we're very happy to be able to deliver a true cartridge release. This acknowledgment highlights how player feedback can influence publisher decisions and demonstrates the value of community engagement in the gaming industry.

Last month, it was revealed that Pokemon Pokopia will be the first game published by Nintendo itself that will only be given a physical release as a Key Card. This decision by Nintendo itself suggests that Game-Key Cards may remain a part of the Switch 2 ecosystem, particularly for larger games that exceed cartridge capacity limits.

The introduction of smaller cartridge sizes represents a potential solution to one of the Switch 2's most criticized features. By offering more affordable options, Nintendo could enable more publishers to provide full physical releases, addressing concerns about game preservation and ownership that have been raised by the gaming community.

As the Switch 2 continues to establish itself in the market, the balance between physical and digital game distribution will continue to evolve. The availability of smaller, more affordable cartridges could help tip the scales back toward physical releases for many games, giving players more options for how they want to own and play their games. However, for the largest titles that exceed even 64GB, Game-Key Cards may remain the only practical solution.