Japan’s National Diet Library (NDL), one of the largest archival institutions in the world, has confirmed that it will not be preserving Nintendo Switch 2 game-key cards.
For context, the NDL has been collecting video games since 2000 and currently holds over 9,600 titles in its archive, alongside books, music, maps, and other cultural materials.
The logic is clear: game-key cards don’t contain game files; they only act as tokens to unlock downloads from Nintendo’s servers.
As the library explained, “only physical media that contains the content itself” qualifies for preservation, meaning these cards fall outside its scope. In practice, the NDL views them as no different from digital-only releases.
How Do Game-Key Cards Actually Work?
When you look at the fact that game-key cards work more like activation codes than physical media, the decision is understandable.
Once the card is slotted in, it triggers the game download. The card has to stay connected to play, but the data itself isn’t on it.
Fans view this as a step up from old “code in a box” deals because cards can be traded, resold, or given away, unlike a single-use digital code.
Still, once Nintendo eventually shutters its servers, the cards become nothing more than plastic shells with no playable content.
From a preservation standpoint, there is literally nothing there to archive.
Why Do Publishers Use Game-Key Cards?
Publishers turned to this format out of necessity since making high-capacity Switch 2 cartridges is costly, especially for games exceeding 64GB.
Game-key cards make big releases more affordable by sparing companies like Capcom, Square Enix, and Sega the cost of cartridge production.
Some argue that this helps more games reach store shelves instead of going digital-only.
Others, however, see it as a cost-cutting measure that benefits publishers far more than players.
The format ends up in a tricky spot, offering neither the ease of digital downloads nor the lasting, ready-to-use feel of classic cartridges.
How Do Game-Key Cards Threaten Long-Term Access to Games?
The situation raises red flags for preservation, as the closure of digital storefronts has already shown historians and players how fragile gaming history can be.
The closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops in 2023 meant that Nintendo cut off access to a huge library of titles.
With Switch 2 game-key cards now barred from the NDL’s archives, concerns are rising that a big part of the console’s library might disappear too.
For players with unreliable internet connections or those who value long-term ownership, the format feels like a step backward.
Could the NDL Eventually Accept Digital Game Formats?
Still, there’s a chance things could shift since the NDL has recently started preserving digital books and magazines, which it never did before.
This shows that the institution can adapt when it recognizes cultural value in new formats.
However, as long as video games remain tied to publisher-controlled servers and licenses, the library has no way to ensure long-term access.
Unless Nintendo and other companies change their approach to digital preservation, Switch 2’s game-key cards will remain unarchived as physical objects that contain no actual content.
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