After the announcement of the Octopath Traveller 0 during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct partner, some fans see how their emotions turn into irritation after hearing the news that the physical edition of the Nintendo Switch 2 game is only a key card, not a actual physical copy of the game.
This information comes from miscellaneous offers Games between sales platforms, including Amazon, Best Buy i Square Enix Square. All editions of Nintendo Switch 2 show the “Game card” indicator at the bottom of the box art, not a full box indicating the physical edition. Even the 230 USD collector’s edition is a key card for Nintendo Switch 2, but a physical edition for all other versions.
However, Nintendo Switch 1 physical edition of the game is a real physical card. But there is also a disadvantage. How Square Enix on social platformsThe Nintendo Switch 1 edition cannot be updated to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – there is no path, paid or otherwise. This means that if someone wants a physical edition of the game for their Nintendo Switch 2, or they have to get a worse edition of Switch 1 and just deal with it or get stuck in the key card.
And if you ask: “Who cares?” The answer is … a lot of people! Game cards are physical cards, but they don’t really contain a game on the card itself. Instead, the card has a code that initiates downloading the game, which means that it is still a digital game.
It is frustrating for people who have reasonable scratches regarding digital property rights, as well as for those for whom all the attractiveness of getting a physical copy of the game does not have to spend time downloading it first. It is also annoying that the SWITCH 1 edition is not even possible to update – what if someone wants to buy a game during the premiere, but then buy Nintendo Switch 2 at a later date? What a mess.
The cards for the game turned out to be an irritation for Nintendo fans since they were announced. Even some programmers are not excited about this concept, especially considering his cube of consequences to preserve the game.
However, Nintendo claims that they are useful, especially in games with larger files, which can be tough to match the cartridge, but also delivered with the double -edged sword of a larger, longer download (Octopath Traveller 0 seems to be 5 GB). As the director of research and observations Niko, Daniel Ahmad, put this, can assist reduce the cost of the game. The cards are more high-priced than production disks, and key cards can assist reduce costs, while providing something that looks like a physical edition for those who want it.
Reminder that key cards will initially be a majority of publications when you are building a console that is based
Or you employ a 64 GB trolley and value your game> 60 USD to make a similar type of margin that you would do on PS5
Or employ a key card + lower price https://t.co/5ezvuonxol
– Daniel Ahmad (@zhugeex) July 31, 2025
Despite all this, it caused the unfortunate suppression of some yesterday’s electrifying messages. In particular, Square Enix fans in particular have become cautious, because the boldly default HD remaster was also only a game card. Is Square Enix involved in this strategy of all his Nintendo Switch 2 games? Perhaps Elliot: The Millennium Tales adventures in love with the newly in love? We will have to wait and see.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior Ign reporter. You can find her post on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.skyla. Do you have a hint with history? Send it to ralentine@ign.com.
