Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card List
Image: Nintendo Life

For Switch 2, Nintendo has introduced a different type of physical release: Game-Key Cards.

They've proven controversial amongst gamers as they contain no actual game data. Instead, once the game is downloaded, they function as a key that must be inserted into your Switch 2 to access the game stored in the console's internal memory (or on a microSD Express card).

We'll go into the pros (well, pro) and cons below, but here we've compiled a list of every Switch 2 Game-Key Card game announced at the time of writing.

Confirmed Switch 2 Game-Key Cards List

We'll keep this list updated with officially confirmed S2 Game-key card releases only, meaning we won't be relying on retailer listings alone.

It's small at the moment, but we'll endeavour to keep our database up-to-date. If you spy an official confirmation we've missed, feel free to tag us in the comments and we'll get it verified and updated ASAP.

If you're curious about a particular title, our Switch 2 game pages list the type of physical release (if known).

Rumoured Switch 2 Game-Key Cards

Here are some prominent Switch 2 games rumoured to be coming on Game-key cards, although we haven't been able to verify independently yet. We've reached out to the relevant publishers and we'll update the list as soon as we know for certain.

Game-Key Card FAQ

Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card List
Image: Capcom / Nintendo Life

With multiple physical Switch 2 game variants, it can get a little confusing. So let's answer some common Game-key card questions before we go.

How do Game-key cards work?

Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card List
Image: Nintendo Life

Game-key cards look like standard Switch cartridges, physically, although the box will clearly state that they're different from a regular game card.

Inserting one into your Switch 2 for the first time, you'll be prompted to download the game data over the internet.

Once that's done, you'll be able to play as normal whenever you insert the cartridge, although the actual game data remains on your system at all times.

Do you need an internet connection to play Game-key cards?

The first time you insert the card, you will need to be connected to the internet to download the game. Once downloaded, you don't need that connection any longer (unless you're playing the game online, obviously).

However, the card must be inserted to play the game - that's where the "key" in the title comes from. The cart unlocks access to the game data stored on your Switch. You can't play the game unless the card is in the Switch 2's game slot.

Why buy a Game-key card instead of just buying digital?

The ability to lend and resell the game is the main reason to buy one instead of just buying the game from the eShop or getting a 'code in a box'.

You lose the convenience a digital library offers of not having to carry cartridges, and you also need space on your Switch 2's internal storage or a microSD Express card, so you lose out there, too.

However, being able to sell the game will be valuable to many players, so it might be worth the inconvenience if that's a priority.

Er, why make a Switch cartridge with no game data on it?

What's the point in a Switch cart with nothing on it? is a valid question! There are several answers.

As we mentioned above, Game-key cards aren't tied to your Nintendo Account like digital purchases, so you can resell them (unlike digital purchases). The data will remain on your Switch until you delete it, but without the key, you won't be able to access it.

Also, many people still want to be able to buy a physical product as a gift for family and friends and are reluctant to gift a download code or store credit on birthdays or holidays. A physical card lets retailers stock Switch 2 games on shelves and gives people something to wrap up at Christmas for the gamers in their lives.

Publishers want to be able to sell physical products at retailers for the same reason. And those publishers would have to pay more for larger-sized Switch 2 carts that actually contained the game data, which would then eat into their profit margins.

Game-key cards enable companies to side-step those costs while still releasing their game in a notionally physical form. For smaller publishers, it might be the only financially viable option for a retail release; for larger firms, the financial incentive to pass on the memory cost to the consumer is strong.

Let us know below if you spy official confirmation of a Game-key card release and we'll add it to the list.