Virtual Game Cards: A Late Surprise for the Aging Nintendo Console

No one expected to see a new feature for a console that’s 8 years old and the Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon. Nintendo surprised everyone by unveiling Virtual Game Cards—a feature that brings the flexibility of physical game cards to your digital library.

With the ability to transfer games between systems and even lend them to friends or family, it’s an intriguing addition. But is the feature a game-changer for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2? Let’s break it down.

How Virtual Game Cards Work for Multi-Switch Households

For those juggling two Switch consoles under the same Nintendo Account, Virtual Game Cards mimic the experience of popping a physical cartridge from one system to another. You can digitally “eject” a game, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, from one Switch and load it onto the other.

Once loaded, the game works offline, and even other user accounts on that system can play it—mirroring the freedom of a physical copy. You can manage this process directly on your console or through your Nintendo Account on the company’s website.

Some Positives

This addresses a longstanding pain point for multi-Switch households. Previously, a secondary Switch couldn’t play your digital games offline without Nintendo’s servers verifying ownership—a hassle for a portable hybrid console like the Switch. Unlike Xbox or PlayStation, which are typically tethered to a home internet connection, the Switch’s on-the-go nature makes this limitation sting. Workarounds like using a phone hotspot have been a go-to fix, but Virtual Game Cards offer a new solution: Preload your game onto the desired system and play offline without extra steps.

Potential Issues with Virtual Game Cards

That said, the process isn’t flawless. If you were away from home and forgot to preload the game or get the itch to play something else, you’d still need to log into Nintendo’s website via your phone, sign in, and transfer the Virtual Game Card. At that point, tapping your phone’s hotspot button might be faster. It’s not a perfect fix, but it’s an option—and more options rarely hurt.

Lending Games to Friends and Family

Sharing games with friends has long been a staple of console gaming. Nintendo Switch already supports library sharing similar to Xbox and Playstation by designating a friend’s console as your “primary” system. But what if you want to share with multiple people or don’t trust someone with your account details? Enter Virtual Game Cards’ lending feature.

You can lend a Virtual Game Card to one of up to eight members of your Nintendo Account family group for 14 days (or until they return it early). The process requires both systems to connect via local wireless and feature an internet connection. Once lent, the borrower keeps their saved data, picking up where they left off if they borrow again or buy the game later.

It’s the digital equivalent of handing over a physical cartridge—no account sharing required. But there’s a catch: you need to be physically near the borrower for the local wireless connection to work. In 2025, when gaming buddies might live across the country or even the globe, this feels like a step backward.

As someone who recently moved far from my hometown and childhood friends, I find this limitation disappointing. However, it’s a different story in Japan, where Nintendo’s home market prioritizes local play or school kids swapping games in person—two key demographics for the company. For them, this could be a hit.

Final Thoughts: A Niche Novelty

The announcement of Virtual Game Cards got me excited. It’s a fresh feature for a console nearing the end of its life cycle is exciting. But after reflecting on my use cases, the shine wore off.

The offline workaround is clunky compared to a hotspot, and the lending feature doesn’t bridge the distance to my friends who are 3000 miles away. That doesn’t mean it’s useless—younger players, Japanese users, or those with nearby gaming circles might love it. Even if it’s not for me, I appreciate Nintendo tackling these digital ownership quirks.

As the Nintendo Switch 2’s release approaches, I hope Virtual Game Cards is more of a stepping stone toward a more seamless system. For now, it’s a quirky, niche addition to the Switch’s twilight years, not a game-changer, but a sign that Nintendo’s still tinkering with ideas, even as the clock winds down.