How to lend Nintendo Switch 2 Virtual Game Cards

Virtual Game Cards on the Nintendo Switch 2 can be lent to other players, giving them temporary access to games you've downloaded, but there's a few steps involved before you can do that, and you can't do it without certain limits. However, it's a useful feature that means that household groups or close friends can share games that they've enjoyed with others, and I'll explain how to lend Virtual Game Cards to other Switch 2 players and consoles below.

How to lend Virtual Game Cards

To lend a Virtual Game Card on your Switch 2 to another player, you need to do the following:

1. You'll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership to lend Game Cards. You can pay for these memberships by choosing the "Nintendo Switch Online" red icon on your Switch 2 dashboard, then scroll down to "Membership Options".
2. Set up a family group. You can do so online at your Nintendo Account by logging in and selecting "Family Group." If you're the group admin, your Family Membership should apply to all players within that family Group.
3. From that online page, you can invite other players with Nintendo Accounts to join the family group with links sent to their email address. Once sent, they have 24 hours to accept. A family group can have up to eight members, including the admin who set it up.
4. Once the person you want to lend to is in the group, go to the Virtual Game Cards option on the Switch 2 dashboard. You'll be shown a list of all the games you have Virtual Game Cards for.
5. Select the game you want to lend. Several options will come up – choose "Lend to Family Group Member", then "Select a User to lend to".
6. You will then be shown a list of all your Family Group members – choose the one you want to lend the game to. If their Switch is connected to the internet, they should be alerted that they now have access to the game!

There are several limitations on this lending system: The lender can lend up to three virtual game cards to different group members at once, and those who are borrowing the games may have one at a time, on a single console, for up to 14 days, though they can choose to return the card at any point prior to that.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.