Overview
- Nintendo Latin America VP Bill van Zyll told interviewers the company has no plans to abandon physical releases and that it picks formats based on what players want.
- Switch 2 supports two physical formats: full cartridges that store game data and smaller game-key cards that function mainly as boxed download codes rather than carrying the full game.
- Game-key cards have drawn criticism from collectors and preservation advocates because they do not hold the full game, though they reportedly saw a large sales jump in the U.S.
- Publishers are already using the game-key format for some releases, with recent reporting noting Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – Definitive Edition will be released as a game-key card.
- Nintendo’s stance contrasts with Sony’s plan to stop producing new physical discs in January 2028 and suggests the market may split between companies that preserve physical options and those that move fully to digital.