Update thanks to thethatfox:
Physical game cards may also not actually contain the game:
Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card Overview
Game-key cards are different from regular game cards, because they don’t contain the full game data. Instead, the game-key card is your "key" to downloading the full game to your system via the internet.
Update 2: There is probably a difference in Game-key cards and card that contain real game data. So we don't know right now how often these game-key cards are used or if nintendo is using them.
Physical game cards may also not actually contain the game:
Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card Overview
So you pay a premium and maybe don't even get a "real" cartridge.
Not even that, currently games for say, ps5 download some from the disk, some from online.
This Key-card fuckery means they can now lock the online downloaded portion of that game and now this can be used to prevent the second owner from downloading it with the same code
Publishers have boogiemanned Used Games for fucking decades and now they're taking another swipe to kill them.
Seems like something the EU should be pushing back against.
Wow That's bad. I add that to the post thx.
That's total bullshit. Fuck Nintendo.
I hope this is only for certain games and they specify it on the box (like those scammy boxes they sell you like physical games, but that say "digital download code included" and there's no cart), because otherwise it's a complete scam. Imagine you're on a trip and buy a Nintendo Switch 2 game in a shop and can't play it because your Switch 2 isn't connected to the Internet. Or they close the shop and your memory dies and you can't download that game you bought for USD 70. This is really bad...
It's probably not for every game, we don't know that exactly right now. See this screenshot.
I upvoted this. Not because i like it but for more visibility.
I think game key cards are for games that don't fit on a regular game card. So like what happened before with some Switch games, but more transparent about which ones don't have the full game on them.
This is the craziest thing for me. Now buying physical means you cant install or play if Nintendos servers are offline. As it stands, buying a BluRay PS5 game means you can play it without any connection for most games - actual ownership of a game that cant be taken away unless they send people to your home and take it away.