Can Switch 2 cartridge games boot on firmware >19.x.x without an online game patch?

ceevee · Jun 13, 2025

Switch 2 launch firmware is 19.0.0. If used with launch game carts, which have 19.1.0 firmware update, you can boot those games completely offline. No additional game patches needed.

This behavior seems to change on firmware > 19.x.x. I noticed on my Switch 2 updated to 20.1.1, I cannot boot my The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game cart without connecting online and updating to a later game patch. Seems to also impact some Switch 1 physical games.

I already tried deleting all game updates and saves prior to booting, booting with airplane mode on, trying to skip the update, but none of these work. Can others on firmware > 19.x.x confirm if they can boot their Switch 2 launch title game carts (full game on cart only) without connecting online to download a game patch?

Sayora · Jun 14, 2025

ceevee said:
Switch 2 launch firmware is 19.0.0. If used with launch game carts, which have 19.1.0 firmware update, you can boot those games completely offline. No additional game patches needed.

This behavior seems to change on firmware > 19.x.x. I noticed on my Switch 2 updated to 20.1.1, I cannot boot my The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game cart without connecting online and updating to a later game patch. Seems to also impact some Switch 1 physical games.

I already tried deleting all game updates and saves prior to booting, booting with airplane mode on, trying to skip the update, but none of these work. Can others on firmware > 19.x.x confirm if they can boot their Switch 2 launch title game carts (full game on cart only) without connecting online to download a game patch?

I believe the console will always check what the latest version of the game is supposed to be as soon as you connect to the internet and refuse to boot the game until it gets updated. Since you must connect to the internet to update the firmware, the Switch 2 would always learn that the game update exists. The Switch 1 and Wii U also had this restriction, but you could still boot the 1.0 version on the cartridge/disc if you formatted the entire system and did not connect to the internet. I haven't tested this on the Switch 2 but if you formatted the system on 20.1.1 and did not connect to the internet, you theoretically could boot the 1.0 version of the game again.

Can Switch 2 cartridge games boot on firmware >19.x.x without an online game patch?

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