Key Takeaways
1. There are two ways to get games on a Nintendo Switch: physical game cards and digital versions from the eShop.
2. Nintendo is introducing a new feature called the Virtual Game Card, which stores digital games as virtual cards.
3. Users can switch virtual game cards between different Switch devices, but an internet connection is required for this process.
4. Players can lend virtual game cards to family members with a limit of one game per person and a maximum lending period of 2 weeks.
5. The Virtual Game Card feature will be available on the original Switch and the upcoming Switch 2, with a software update expected in late April.
There are two main options for getting games on a Nintendo Switch – either by purchasing a physical game card or by getting a digital version from the Nintendo eShop. Swapping physical game cards between different Switch systems is simple because they aren’t linked to a specific account or console. However, sharing digital games requires that the consoles be linked to the same Nintendo Account, designating one as the primary console while the others are marked as secondary. Now, Nintendo is introducing a new feature with the Nintendo Virtual Game Card.
New Virtual Game Card Concept
According to Nintendo, when you buy a digital game, it will be stored on your system as a virtual game card (imagine this like loading an ISO file onto a virtual drive). Once a virtual game card is active, it will display an icon similar to that of a physical game card thumbnail.
Switching Between Devices
If you want to play a game on a different Switch that you own, you can simply eject it from one device and load it onto the other. Keep in mind that ejecting and loading a virtual game card requires an internet connection. Once a virtual game card is removed from one device and used on another, it cannot be played on the first device anymore. Users will also be able to manage which games are accessible on each console.
Lending and Sharing Games
Nintendo will enable users to lend virtual game cards to family members within a group (up to 8 Nintendo account users), but there’s a limit of one game per person. The maximum lending period is 2 weeks, after which the game will automatically return to the original owner. When a game comes back, the save data stays on the borrower’s device so they can continue from where they left off when they borrow it again.
The Virtual Game Card feature will be available on the original Switch (currently offered on Amazon for $299.99) and the soon-to-be-released Switch 2. This feature will be introduced as a software update in late April for the original Switch.
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