With anticipation building for Nintendo’s inevitable next-generation console release, the Switch 2, details of enhanced versions of existing Switch games have begun to appear. Dubbed “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” titles, these vow to utilize the new hardware to provide improved graphics and performance. But a recent development has sent shudders running through physical game enthusiasts: the possibility that the enhanced versions will not include the full enhanced game on the cartridge itself.
There is speculation that the physical copies of Switch 2 Edition games could include the original Nintendo Switch game cartridge and an individual download code for the upgrade pack. This has been noted in customer support contact and reading the packaging information as containing “the Nintendo Switch game and the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack.”
This model is a massive deviation from the past model where the entire game, in its upgraded form, would be on the physical media. When the upgrade is in the form of a download as an independent entity, it brings with it reliance on internet connectivity and long-term retention of the upgraded experience, especially if digital stores subsequently discontinue support for it.
Furthermore, those who would rather have the whole, individual physical copy would see the value proposition diminished. Purchasing a physical game tends to be what people think they are getting with the software in physical form, and much of this having to be downloaded digitally would undermine that perceived value.
While the ease of acquiring added features through a download code can’t be debated for some, the possible effect on collectors and those who enjoy an all-self-contained physical product must be considered. With the release of the Switch 2 on the horizon, transparency from Nintendo about how these updated versions will be distributed will be instrumental in mitigating concerns among the gaming community. The difference between loading a game off of a cartridge and having an actual physical key to a mostly digital expansion is an important one for a great many retro gamers.
