- Nintendo is asking Japanese players for their thoughts on Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards
- It follows reports of low sales for third-party Nintendo Switch 2 software
- It hopefully signals a shift towards more traditional physical releases
Nintendo is asking Japanese players for their thoughts on the controversial Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards.
As first spotted by SwitchSoku and reported by VGC, surveys have been going out to Nintendo Switch 2 players in Japan.
The multiple-choice form asks whether you are aware of the existence of Game-Key Cards or currently own any. Next, it lists a number of the characteristics of Game-Key Cards and prompts you to select the ones you already know.
Finally, it asks whether you would choose the digital download version of a piece of software if a Game-Key Card was available.
If you're not aware, Game-Key Cards are a special type of Nintendo Switch 2 release. They are physical game cards that do no contain any substantial data. When inserted into a Nintendo Switch 2 system, they prompt a download of the game much like an eShop purchase.
You need to insert the Game-Key Card every time you want to access the title. The game takes up space on your system's internal storage, negating one of the big benefits of traditional game cards.
The only real benefit of a Game-Key Card is that it can be resold or swapped between multiple consoles freely, though in my eyes this isn't really worth the hassle.
The vast majority of Nintendo Switch 2 third-party releases have been Game-Key Cards, much to the disappointment of some players.
As sales of third-party software has reportedly been lower than expected, I suspect that this survey signals that Nintendo is re-evaluating its approach and hopefully will begin pushing developers towards traditional physical releases.
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