Nintendo Switch 2: Game Key Cards vs. Full Physical Cartridges

The Nintendo Switch 2, launching June 5, 2025, has sparked excitement within the gaming community but frustration among physical game collectors due to the introduction of Game Key Cards—cartridges that require a full game download rather than containing the game data. Many fans see this as a step up from the code-in-a-box releases of last-gen, but still not a replacement for the plug-and-play simplicity and future-proof nature of traditional cartridges.

Notably, all confirmed Nintendo first-party physical games for the Switch 2, including Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, will be on physical cartridges with no additional downloads required. Below, we break down which confirmed third-party Nintendo Switch 2 games are using Game Key Cards and which are delivering the full game on physical cartridges, highlighting those publishers doing right by physical media fans.

Third-Party Games Confirmed as Game Key Cards

Game Key Cards require an internet connection to download the full game, and the card must remain inserted to play, bridging the gap between digital and physical. Here’s the list of confirmed titles and their release dates:

• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster (Square Enix, June 5, 2025)
• Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition (Capcom, June 5, 2025)
• Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut (SEGA/RGG Studio, June 5, 2025)
• Sonic X Shadow Generations (SEGA, June 5, 2025)
• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S (SEGA, June 5, 2025)
• No Sleep for Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition (Spike Chunsoft, July 25, 2025)
• Hitman: World of Assassination – Signature Edition (IO Interactive, June 5, 2025)
• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (Bandai Namco, June 5, 2025)
• Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Square Enix, June 5, 2025)
• Wild Hearts S (Electronic Arts, June 5, 2025)
• Raidou: Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Launch Edition (SEGA, June 5, 2025)
• Split Fiction* (Electronic Arts, June 5, 2025)

*Special Note on Split Fiction: EA has taken a worse approach than Game Key Cards by opting for a code-in-a-box release for Split Fiction, meaning the physical package contains only a download code with no cartridge at all. This lacks the resale and sharing benefits of Game Key Cards, making it a significant misstep.

Third-Party Games Confirmed with Full Game on Cartridge

Despite the Game Key Card trend, several third-party publishers are taking the hit to provide full games on cartridges, earning praise from physical enjoyers who prioritize storage savings and long-term preservation. These titles are the ones “doing it right”:

• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition (CD Projekt Red, June 5, 2025)
• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (Marvelous USA, June 5, 2025)
• Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion (Marvelous USA, September 5, 2025)
• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (Marvelous USA, August 27, 2025)

Why The Divide?

The prevalence of Game Key Cards among third-party titles likely stems from the high cost of Nintendo Switch 2’s proprietary cartridges, which are more expensive than the original Nintendo Switch’s cartridges which, were already more expensive than Blu-ray discs used by PlayStation and Xbox. Cartridges with higher capacities (64 GB) and speeds are particularly costly, and publishers like Square Enix, SEGA, and Bandai Namco are opting for Game Key Cards to avoid eating these costs or raising prices further.

For comparison, Nintendo’s first-party title, Mario Kart World (24 GB), is all on the cartridge, but at $79.99, suggesting Nintendo is putting some of the cost on consumers to maintain a premium physical experience. Third-party publishers, facing games with larger file sizes, find Game Key Cards a cheaper alternative, even if it frustrates fans.

Conclusion

While the majority of third-party publishers are leaning on Game Key Cards to cut costs, a handful of developers and publishers—like CD Projekt Red, Marvelous USA, and Spike Chunsoft—are taking the hit to deliver full games on cartridges, offering a better experience for players who value physical media. These titles stand out to the relatively high physical player base with Nintendo consoles, with some even using cross-gen cartridges. As the Nintendo Switch 2 launch approaches, physical game buyers can support these publishers to encourage more full-cartridge releases in the future.