Switch 2's controversial game-key cards come on a physical cartridge, but Capcom is still counting its sales of them as digital

Capcom has commented on Nintendo's game-key cards on the Switch 2. Although these releases come in a physical box, the developer and publisher considers them digital sales, due to how the actual product is delivered.

The Switch 2's game-key cards are proving controversial. Rather than containing the game themselves, the small cartridges merely allow you to retrieve a copy online. Even if you get one, you still need internet access.

Putting it another way, you're paying for a glorified download off the eShop in a regular box. This has led to questions over how these releases will be counted, as the boxes are sold in brick-and-mortar stores, but they aren’t physical games.

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That's why Capcom is just counting them towards the digital total, at least for Street Fighter 6, per the company's latest financial results. The only difference between these and giving you a redeemable code is that you can still lend these cartridges out, allowing for the second-hand market to continue.

Not everything on the Switch 2 will come in game-key card form, only certain games, purportedly because the carts currently come in one size, 64GB. Third-party releases are the most impacted by this workaround, and developers have called the decision between using a proper cart or a key card "not easy."

Nintendo is aware of the consternation. "In the immediate future, physical games are still a key part of our business," Doug Bowser, head of Nintendo of America, said in May. He reiterated the value of the company's relationship with retailers.

The move hasn't gone down well across the industry. Prolific devs have said they "hate" game-key cards, and preservationists call them a "disheartening" move as the industry continues to struggle with future-proofing.

Only time will tell the extent of game-key cards in terms of the Switch 2's longer-term standing.

We have guides on where to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 and how to transfer your Switch save data onto the Switch 2, if you’re keen on the new Mario machine.