It seems Switch 2‘s divisive Game-Key Cards – physical releases containing a download “key”, rather than the full game data – will be a pretty common sight when the console launches this June. The vast majority of third-party Switch 2 physical releases currently available for pre-order in Japan come on game-key cards, and the situation is looking similar in the UK.
Switch 2’s game-key-card-heavy launch window line-up was first highlighted by Gematsu, which noted all third-party physical releases seen so far in Japan feature box art indicating their game-key card status. The exceptions are CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 and all Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles – that is, original Switch games featuring Switch 2 specific enhancements.
The likes of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Wild Hearts, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Street Fighter 6, Sonic X Shadow Generations, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion all feature game-key card branding on their Japanese boxes, with 11 out of 12 Switch 2-specific third-party physical releases opting for the key-on-card approach. Nintendo’s own titles – namely Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza – all use standard game cards.
Furthermore, it looks like the situation will be similar in the west if the handful of third-party Switch 2 games currently available to pre-order are any indication. UK retailer Smyths features game-key card box art for Hitman: World of Assassination – Signature Edition, Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition, and Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, while Amazon in the US shows Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Sonic X Shadow Generations, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, Raidou: Remastered – The Mystery of the Soulless Army Launch Edition (all from Sega) utilising game-key cards.
Nintendo unveiled its game-key cards earlier this month, as part of its big Switch 2 blow-out. “Game-key cards are different from regular game cards, because they don’t contain the full game data,” it said at the time. “Instead, the game-key card is your ‘key’ to downloading the full game to your system via the internet. After it’s downloaded, you can play the game by inserting the game-key card into your system and starting it up like a standard physical game card.”
Switch 2 game pre-orders have been up in Japan for a few hours, revealing all physical third-party games (so far—except Cyberpunk 2077) that are not “Nintendo Switch 2 Editions” to be shipping on game-key cards (requires internet to download the full game).
— Gematsu (@gematsu.com) April 23, 2025 at 7:57 PM
The fact many third-party publishers have so enthusiastically embraced game-key cards this early into Switch 2’s lifespan isn’t likely to delight physical collectors, but the scheme does at least have one major advantage over code-in-a-box releases in that game-key card downloads aren’t locked to a specific user account, meaning they can be shared and resold.
Switch 2 officially launches on 5th June, and pre-orders were available in the UK just days after its big reveal. US and Canada pre-orders finally went live today after Nintendo opted to delay them in order to assess the impact of the US administration’s recent tariffs. But while the console itself has retained its original $450 price tag in the US for now, Nintendo recently confirmed it would be raising prices for various console accessories “due to changes in market conditions”.
