Nintendo Clarifies: Switch 2 Games Include Game and Upgrade on Cart

Nintendo has officially clarified that the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games come with both the game and its upgrade packed onto the same cartridge. This confirmation comes after some confusion due to mixed messages from customer service representatives suggesting that the games might not include the actual game content.

In a statement to Vooks, Nintendo detailed that physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will indeed contain the original game along with its upgrade on a single game card. However, they also noted that some publishers might opt to distribute these games as download codes within physical packaging, without including a game card.

Here’s the full statement from Nintendo:

“Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code). Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card.”

The $79.99 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games include titles such as Kirby and The Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World, Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. These enhanced versions offer various improvements over their original Switch counterparts. For instance, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom benefit from the Zelda Notes service in the Nintendo Switch App, providing in-game assistance, as well as achievements exclusive to the Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes

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Nintendo also confirmed that certain new Switch 2 game cards will function as game-key cards, containing only a download key instead of actual game data. These cards require you to download the game once inserted into your Switch 2. The packaging will clearly indicate if a game is a game-key card, with a label on the lower front of the box, ensuring consumers are aware of what they are purchasing.

Examples of games utilizing this game-key card system include Street Fighter 6 and the Bravely Default remaster, while others such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza do not follow this model. Notably, Cyberpunk 2077, with its hefty 64 GB size on Nintendo Switch 2, is available on a traditional game card.