Nintendo Switch 2: The Current State of Physical Releases

[subcon959]

@DeadSkullzJr I think it's worth putting an asterisk next to Mortal Kombat as they deceived everyone into thinking it was a complete physical release when in fact MK4 is an additional download.

News post

 

[Scarlet]

Just as a heads up, you missed Fantasy Life off the Switch 2 Editions; Japan exclusive but with multi language on cartridge. I believe Split Fiction also has a digital download code release for your second category.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

@DeadSkullzJr I think it's worth putting an asterisk next to Mortal Kombat as they deceived everyone into thinking it was a complete physical release when in fact MK4 is an additional download.

News post

I'll just make a fifth category and call it a "partial" physical release. I'm sure there will be more like this in the future. Kind of jacked up that the Nintendo Switch version basically beats the Nintendo Switch 2 version though lol.

Post automatically merged: Dec 14, 2025

Done, fifth category made, and changed the totals, as it stands, only eight full physical releases persist now.

 

[Skv0ra]

Once again, the irony of it all - 2 decades ago we all drooled for no-cd patches, and now we drool for CDs, though back then updates were optional/non-existent as was online connectivity to play legitimate copies.

What inflation isn't accounting for is that we used to get a box with wrap around covers, physical media with a game, usually a nice thiccc manual for those $80-90 of todays dollarinis of the past, and thus it cost companies WAY more to ship the complete product and have it on physical shelves that cost money. Going digital/centralized marketplaces like Steam, had to have cut like half the fucken cost of putting a game on the market, so as soon as that wildfire spread - the cost of games should have at least halved, but it never did. Did devs make more? Definitely not. So continuing from that - games nowadays should cost less since advertising is also taken cared of thanks to all the review avenues who are paid in a free copy and then their own ad revenues.

 

[Marc_LFD]

There not dying
they are pretty much dead at this point,

Xbox is bowing out the traditional console market in favor of hybrid PC/Cosnole setup, I doubt they will ship that with a disk drive that will read xbox discs. The series x might be the last Microsoft machine capable of reading Xbox discs.

PS6 looks to be making the disc drive an optional purchase, Knowing sony the disc drive will be always out of stock like it is for the ps5 pro and slim. They might not even publish physical ps6 games and just keep the drive for backwards compat only,

Steam machines are entering the market and well Physical PC releases died the moment steam became popular in 2004.

The switch 2 is heavily favoring digital releases, A lot of devs can't justify the economic costs of printing full on switch 2 carts or have a technical reason,
Game well under 64gb? Why pay for the expensive 64gb cart.
Game over 64gb? Won't fit on the cart anyway,
Not sure if you'll recoup the costs of the cart? The key card is the safer bet.
Cart too slow for complicated asset streaming setups? Digital only,

Tbh, digital on Xbox is awesome as it feels so organic to the system itself. Only reason I bought some Xbox games on disc is because they were cheaper than digital.

Xbox One X is frankly a superb gaming console and I wish there was a slim Xbox Series X like it.

 

[Jayinem]

Guys, this thread isn't here for piracy advocacy, anti-piracy, whether or not artificial intelligence with computer hardware is somehow bleeding into the console space, the video game pricing changes, etc.. This thread is about the concerns for physical media releases of the software for the Nintendo Switch 2 (while being an indirect library or "guide" on what to avoid if you don't like game key cards and such). Talking about this is cool and all, as is feeling however you feel, but don't jeopardize the thread and force a moderator(s) to lock the thread.

I think you're being a bit egotistical and I've been seeing that more and more from someone who makes a thread on gbatemp trying to control what people say no one's going to lock your thread we're not pointing to any piracy which is what gbatemp cares about. It is all tied together Nintendo making key cards without the game on it raising their prices people are angry at Nintendo as a whole. I suggest just chill out.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

Looks like Resident Evil:

I think you're being a bit egotistical and I've been seeing that more and more from someone who makes a thread on gbatemp trying to control what people say no one's going to lock your thread we're not pointing to any piracy which is what gbatemp cares about. It is all tied together Nintendo making key cards without the game on it raising their prices people are angry at Nintendo as a whole.

...What??? What are you on dude? What does not wanting bickering, the back and forth arguments in general, somehow lead to being "a bit egotistical?" Threads get locked on this platform for reasons like this often enough for concerns to be valid. For the record, you don't have to point to piracy in order to still advocate for it, encouraging it and telling people to "pirate games as much as possible" is still advocacy (your words, which also was followed up with a response by another user too). From where I stand, this has nothing to do with the point of this thread, and is just a loose cannon response, that comes off like someone who thinks they are cool for pirating software. The whole point of what I said had to do with not wanting the thread comment section to devolve into a stupid war zone, because that's literally ALL that ever happens in many gaming related threads anymore, especially so on this platform. I'm not saying people shouldn't be or can't be pissed and talk about it, please by all means, be upset over the state of things. When you start making nonconstructive talking points though, this basically encourages others reading and or visiting to add further fuel to that fire, which just ruins the thread even more. You need to understand the difference between "control" versus having genuine concerns over the quality of the talking environment. If you still want to consider this egotistical, fine, guilty as charged, I'll wear it like a badge of honor, it doesn't change how I feel though.

 

[Jayinem]

Not even reading what you have to say after the first sentence I had someone the other day do the same thing try to tell me what I can and can't say because they made the thread. If you think I violated some rules report me and let a mod handle it but don't try to tell me what I can and can't say this is a free speech forum there are certain rules sure and as far as I know I didn't break any of them so take it up with a mod dude but I'm not going to be told what I can and can't say just because you made that thread that doesn't mean you own the forum. And yes you are being egotistical.

In fact just like the other guy I'm putting you on ignore I wanna talk to cool people not someone trying to control what I can say who's not even a mod.

 

[Marc_LFD]

Once again, the irony of it all - 2 decades ago we all drooled for no-cd patches, and now we drool for CDs, though back then updates were optional/non-existent as was online connectivity to play legitimate copies.

What inflation isn't accounting for is that we used to get a box with wrap around covers, physical media with a game, usually a nice thiccc manual for those $80-90 of todays dollarinis of the past, and thus it cost companies WAY more to ship the complete product and have it on physical shelves that cost money. Going digital/centralized marketplaces like Steam, had to have cut like half the fucken cost of putting a game on the market, so as soon as that wildfire spread - the cost of games should have at least halved, but it never did. Did devs make more? Definitely not. So continuing from that - games nowadays should cost less since advertising is also taken cared of thanks to all the review avenues who are paid in a free copy and then their own ad revenues.

CDs? Nintendo skipped CDs altogether and went with DVDs (Wii), Mini DVDs (GCN), and Blu-rays (Wii U).

 

[Scarlet]

CDs? Nintendo skipped CDs altogether and went with DVDs (Wii), Mini DVDs (GCN), and Blu-rays (Wii U).

I think the sentiment was just physical media, as opposed to focussing on one specific kind of physical media.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

CDs? Nintendo skipped CDs altogether and went with DVDs (Wii), Mini DVDs (GCN), and Blu-rays (Wii U).

Hearing that the Wii U used Blu-ray discs still messes with me lol. From what I understand, it was never made clear what the specification was.

Post automatically merged: Dec 14, 2025

Side note, some packaging art cropped up for Resident Evil: Requiem. Found more information on Capcom's Resident Evil website, looks like Resident Evil 7, Village, and Requiem will all be game key cards.

 

[Ondrashek06]

So many people are going to be angry about their game keys turning into paperweights once Nintendo decides to shut down the eShop...

...and they aren't even GOOD paperweights given how light the cartridges are!

 

[Scarlet]

So many people are going to be angry about their game keys turning into paperweights once Nintendo decides to shut down the eShop...

...and they aren't even GOOD paperweights given how light the cartridges are!

It is interesting to think how little uproar there’s been about 3DS cartridges just dying in recent years. Even in an ideal situation where games are fully on cartridges they probably won’t last. Probably more reasonable to focus on the more immediate issues of storage on the console and just how annoying it is to have the drawbacks of both a digital download and a cartridge rolled into one. You do get the upside of being able to sell a physical thing, but for most it’s probably not that worthwhile.

 

[subcon959]

I'll just make a fifth category and call it a "partial" physical release. I'm sure there will be more like this in the future. Kind of jacked up that the Nintendo Switch version basically beats the Nintendo Switch 2 version though lol.

It feels like this release was a fuckup so I'm not sure if this will ever happen again. It seems more likely that publishers will just go with a key card instead of partial data so it might not be worth it's own category but I guess we'll see.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

It feels like this release was a fuckup so I'm not sure if this will ever happen again. It seems more likely that publishers will just go with a key card instead of partial data so it might not be worth it's own category but I guess we'll see.

Main reason I say this is because it's not the first time this has happened. The Nintendo Switch actually has quite a few physical releases like this, although still not as common as full releases.

Post automatically merged: Dec 14, 2025

It is interesting to think how little uproar there’s been about 3DS cartridges just dying in recent years. Even in an ideal situation where games are fully on cartridges they probably won’t last. Probably more reasonable to focus on the more immediate issues of storage on the console and just how annoying it is to have the drawbacks of both a digital download and a cartridge rolled into one. You do get the upside of being able to sell a physical thing, but for most it’s probably not that worthwhile.

The only games that I've heard have issues on the side of 3DS games, seems to be those with manufacturing defects with the soldering job. I've seen quite a few instances of games working just fine after fixing the solder. I actually tested a few sealed 3DS games that I got from bundle purchases that I never got around to mess with, the oldest game in the bunch being from 2012. Not to jinx anything, but they all worked just fine. Why this is relevant is because these games were never used, and if the information about the chips used in the cartridges is anything to go by, NOT using them ends up being a bad thing over time, and since some games sat 12-13 years unopened, the tests should give evidence to the the data rot claims. Wear and tear is another factor of course, but then again... Some copies are used on a daily basis, and revisited years later after the fact, and still work fine. I feel like the issue isn't as simple as it dying from data rot or something along those lines.

 

[Marc_LFD]

Hearing that the Wii U used Blu-ray discs still messes with me lol. From what I understand, it was never made clear what the specification was.

Post automatically merged: Dec 14, 2025

Side note, some packaging art cropped up for Resident Evil: Requiem. Found more information on Capcom's Resident Evil website, looks like Resident Evil 7, Village, and Requiem will all be game key cards.

The discs were Blu-rays, but sadly it didn't play BD movie discs... Neither did the Wii play DVD movie discs and it used DVDs.

Well, a hacked Wii can play DVDs now, but why bother anymore.

 

[DeadSkullzJr]

The discs were Blu-rays, but sadly it didn't play BD movie discs... Neither did the Wii play DVD movie discs and it used DVDs.

Well, a hacked Wii can play DVDs now, but why bother anymore.

Well, some users still tinker with DVDs. While I am someone who tinkers with optical media, a Wii isn't exactly suitable for this in my opinion. DVD players are dirt cheap and plentiful. Blu-ray players are backwards compatible too. I guess it's nice if you don't want additional players sitting around, but eh, it's one of those things where you just shouldn't break what wasn't broken to begin with. Plus, these players are actually geared for this form of entertainment, a Wii was never designed for watching movies, probably wouldn't look too great overall.

Post automatically merged: Dec 15, 2025

Decided to replace a good chunk of the images with slightly better versions. Of course, not all of the entries gained this improvement, simply because there wasn't anything better out there online to replace them with. Working on the game key card category now. The rest of the categories already use the better images.

 

[ShintaiUS]

Not complaining, thank you for putting this together. I've been looking for info about Kirby Ryders physical release. Would you consider adding the min FW they work with, if is available or maybe commenters can add it in the comments? for example, Bonanza works fine on 20.1.1.

 

[Scarlet]

Going by the box art, it's looking like Outbound will be getting a full physical release:

 

[xadra]

Great idea.
just a correctiong, Octopath Traveler needs to add a 0 to the name.
It's "Octopath Traveler 0"