If it isn’t still clear to the executives, gamers prefer physical over digital ownership of their games
The recent Nintendo Direct confirmed the Switch 2’s rumored features and specifications, while sharing updates on highly anticipated game releases.
Featuring a larger 7.9-inch LED screen and 256GB of expanded storage, the Switch 2 is poised to deliver games at 1080p and 120 FPS, a much-needed upgrade to the original Switch’s hardware capabilities. Nintendo’s upcoming gaming system also includes several new features, including an optional navigation system akin to a computer mouse, and a voice chat application reminiscent of Discord.
Nintendo also listed several games coming to the Switch 2:
- Mario Kart World
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Kirby Air Riders
- Drag x Drive
READ: Everything you can do in ‘Pokémon Legends: Z-A’
- The Duskbloods
- Hades II
- Madden NFL and EA Sports FC
- NBA 2K and WWE 2K
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
- Split Fiction
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
- Street Fighter 6
- Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Borderlands 4
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4:
- Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
- Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
- Fortnite
- Enter the Gungeon 2
- Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition
- Project 007
- Tarseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
- Deltarune
- Survival Kids
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
However, despite the built-up excitement, pricing and the state of physical games brought about a mixed reception—likely souring the experience for excited gamers.
READ: Nintendo to release Switch 2 console in 2025
The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to go for $449.99 (₱25,685.36) while the more premium Mario Kart World Bundle is priced at $499.99 (₱28,539.35). The original Switch in 2017 was launched with a $299.99 (₱17,123.38) price tag, while the Lite and OLED versions went for $199.99 (₱11,415.40) and $349.99 (₱19,977.37) respectively.
But gaming systems aren’t the only ones facing a price hike. Amid rumors that the highly-anticipated GTA VI will go on retail for $100 (₱5,707.98), “Mario Kart World” and “Donkey Kong Bananza” are priced at $79.99 (₱4,565.82) and $69.99 (₱3,995.02), respectively—likely setting the precedent for video game publishers to price their games past the standard $60 (₱3,424.79).
However, although price jumps between console generations aren’t uncommon, adding salt to the gamer’s wallet-shaped wound is how Nintendo is seemingly treating physical media.
According to a Nintendo support page, some video game cartridges will not contain the games themselves but a ‘game-key card’ instead. “Game-key cards are different from regular game cards, because they don’t contain the full game data. Instead, the game-key card is your ‘key’ to downloading the full game to your system via the internet,” the support page reads.
With larger games likely not fitting Nintendo’s cartridge form factor, certain titles will require an additional download to play the game, even if you bought a physical copy. Though a logical approach to an existing problem, mandating an internet download disregards the gamer’s choice to pay for a physical game.
A physical copy ensures true ownership of the game bought, while purchasing online only grants a digital license or key. If a Switch 2 game cartridge only contained a digital license, what’s the point of getting it physically? Wouldn’t it have been better to buy via the online store? Better yet, what guarantee does the physical copy owner have that their game is theirs? Who’s to say Nintendo won’t shut down its servers down the line and shut users out from their bought game?