Nintendo has shined a light on an important detail about the Nintendo Switch 2. The company is introducing Game-Key Cards — physical cards that don’t contain game data but instead trigger a digital download when inserted into the console.
SEE ALSO: How much will Nintendo Switch 2 games cost? Here's what we've learned so far.Nintendo said the cards won’t be locked to user accounts.
In a conversation with GameSpot, Nintendo executive Tetsuya Sasaki clarified that Game-Key Cards “will start up on the console or system that it is slotted into, so it’s not tied to an account or anything.”
That means if you sell or trade the card, the next person should still be able to use it — as long as they’ve got a Switch 2. But there are still caveats. Nintendo’s own support page notes that the card must remain inserted in order to play the game, effectively turning it into a physical DRM key. Think of it like PlayStation Plus: you can install the game, but access is dependent on a condition — in this case, having the card physically present.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorders delayed in the U.S. due to tariffsWhile the lack of account locking is a win for secondhand buyers, it’s also a reminder that even physical games are becoming increasingly digital and disposable.