The Game Key Cards Of Switch 2 Are Killing Ownership And Physical Media

As time passes, the digitalization and technological prowess of this world of ours are becoming exceedingly awe-inspiring. Look back two decades or so — could you have even imagined the stuff that’s possible today back then? I’d have called you a madman if you told me I could just pay and download games from my room, rather than having to stand in long lines and wait.

However, one must never forget their humble roots. Preservation of history is just as important as striving ahead. Physical media had an undeniable charm; it still has. Unfortunately, things are surely changing. The latest gaming console, Nintendo Switch 2, is making waves all around with its hype, but what about its bold push of “digital-only” games?

The Dark Side Of Digital Gaming

A safer connection, stronger latency, and a smoother online play experience are all nice-to-have features, especially when dealing with kernel-level anti-cheats and notorious data-collecting companies (ahem, Tencent). Anyway, digital security is important, but it’s still not the biggest flaw of a digital-only gaming world. That crown belongs to ownership and preservation concerns.

Tencent will take your private data
byu/SkipDrawz innintendo

You heard me right. Digital games are just licenses you purchase; you never really own these games. The corporate giants very generously “let” you play these games, while having all control. If they decide to pull the plug on a game, no matter how much you’ve spent in it, all goes down the drain. This is what the Switch 2 is going all in on.

It effectively means you can never own the games you pay hundreds of dollars for, and there’s no way to preserve these games for future generations if it all becomes digital-only. Is this the legacy we want our beloved medium to leave behind?

The Pitfalls Of Nintendo Switch 2

After the phenomenal life of Nintendo Switch, the whole world sat in anticipation of its successor. Now that it’s finally here, we have a lot to talk about. Before I begin, I should make it clear that I’m in no way a Switch 2 hater. I firmly believe it’s a fantastic device for handheld gaming. However, some of its launch features are setting a very dangerous precedent.

First is, as I mentioned, the new “Key Card” system. In an attempt to make game sharing more streamlined, Nintendo introduced the digital cartridge system, where even the physical copy will behave as a digital key and can be shared. On paper, it feels like an upgrade, but in truth, it completely removed what little sense of ownership was left in Nintendo games. What it does is not only kill the beloved physical media, but convince the entire world to do the same.

Next up is the ridiculous pricing of “next-gen” games. I thought GTA 6 would break the ice for overpriced games, but here comes Nintendo, paving the way to a greedy, anti-consumer trend. Charging 80 dollars for minimal upgrades over last-gen is very hard to justify, no matter how hardcore of a Nintendo fan you are.

The prices for the Nintendo Switch 2's first party games and "remasters" has deflated a majority of my excitement for the console
byu/annon_tins inGames

Finally, my last point of criticism is how the Switch 2 has decided to follow in the footsteps of the PS5, i.e, “One Game”. Launch titles and exclusives for a console are very important, especially a handheld like Switch 2. Its predecessor launched with a strong title in every genre, while Nintendo Switch 2 has nothing to show for its “next-gen” prowess. Kinda ironic that it’s asking for $80 while having no games.

Physical Media Should Never Die

As fans of physical games, we live in highly turbulent, and honestly, hopeless times. But that’s all the more reason to stress the worth of physical media, and how they surpass digital ones in certain fields. Yes, digital games are a whole lot convenient, but I’ll take ownership over convenience any day.

Physical games mean you own your purchases. The disc/cartridge has a material existence, holds more value as a collectible piece, and, above all, can be sold or exchanged to salvage its value. Moreover, single-player games on physical media mean you don’t have to connect to the internet to access them, worry about connection disruptions, or be spied upon — a lot of benefits.

In a nutshell, both physical and digital games have their own, unrivaled charm. What I mean to say is that one should never be eliminated completely to favor the other. Switch 2 opting for a worse digital ownership and sharing policy is certainly a cause for concern. We need true physical games back.