Nintendo’s new Game-Key Cards for the Switch 2 have already split opinions across the community.
These cards look like traditional cartridges, but they don’t hold the game itself. Instead, they function as physical tokens that unlock a digital download through the eShop.
For players wanting something to keep on their shelf or use offline, this feels like a downgrade.
The argument is that the format loses the main perks of physical media while keeping prices high instead of reflecting cheaper manufacturing.
What’s the Backlash Against Game-Key Cards?
The reaction across the internet has been fierce, with fans angry at paying full price for a product that risks becoming unusable if servers close.
Game preservationists also point out that libraries and cultural archives often cannot accept these key-based products, making them unsuitable for long-term conservation.
Many players view it as yet another example of companies extracting value from their back catalogs, citing higher-than-usual pricing on new releases and re-releases.
What Does Ex-Capcom Dev Masakazu Sugimori Argue?
While many cried foul, Masakazu Sugimori, known for his work at Capcom, countered that Nintendo’s moves are intended to steady a struggling industry rather than feed corporate greed.
He believes the company is trying to reduce risks like piracy and unsold inventory, and even set benchmarks for other studios to follow.
For example, he argued that Nintendo’s decision to raise game prices was framed as a way to shield smaller publishers from escalating costs, rather than a move to boost its own profits.
How Does He Defend the Digital Format?
Sugimori also challenged one of the most common arguments against Game-Key Cards, that physical media is inherently safer and longer-lasting.
He pointed out that modern cartridges and discs degrade with time, unlike older ROM-based cartridges from the 1980s.
Unlike physical items, digital products don’t suffer from natural degradation, though they depend on infrastructure.
He interprets Nintendo’s stance as admitting that permanence is an illusion, though digital sales could hold longer ground.
Still, his defense hasn’t swayed everyone, as plenty of players argue that Game-Key Cards limit choice and harm preservation no matter Nintendo’s reasoning.
Some fans appreciate Sugimori’s industry-first perspective, while others dismiss it as overly idealistic and detached from the player experience.
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