Summary
Marvelous USAhas confirmed that its physical Nintendo Switch 2 releases won’t require any downloads. The broader physical media space has faced an uncertain future lately, with many companies releasing hard copies that don’t contain the full game or forgoing a physical release entirely. The Switch 2’s use of key cards has added fuel to the fire, butMarvelous Entertainmenthas eased this concern, at least with respect to its own titles.
When Nintendo offered a deep dive into the Switch 2 on April 2, it revealed that some cartridges on the system would be “Game-Key Cards” rather than the actual game. This means that these cartridges contain only a software key to download a digital version of the game, so they’re not actually a hard copy. It later came out thatmost announced third-party Switch 2 games would use key cardsfor their physical releases, disappointing many gamers who prefer owning physical media.
Amid this growing controversy, Marvelous USA clarified its approach on Bluesky, saying its upcoming Switch 2 physical editions will include the full game on the cartridge. While not every studio is following that approach, Switch 2 owners can rest knowing at least three games —Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma,Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, andDaemon X Machina: Titanic Scion— will get a proper hard copy on the platform. Interestingly,Guardians of Azuma’s Switch 2 cartridge also works on the original Switch, as it contains both versions of the game. Other titles may do the same, but so far, not many have announced such cross-functionality for physical releases.
Upcoming Marvelous Switch 2 Physical Releases Will Contain the Entire Game
It’s worth noting that it’s not possible to fit every game on a Switch 2 cartridge. Nintendo has revealed thatSwitch 2 cartridges have a 64 GB capacity, which is more than the original Switch’s physical copies but not enough to hold some larger AAA games. Some companies, like Marvelous, can fit all their game files and leave room for extra content in that space, but some games today exceed 100 GB, so even if they had a proper physical release on Switch 2, they’d need an additional download. That’s not a situation unique to Nintendo consoles, either.
Whether all future Marvelous Switch 2 physical editions will offer the whole game within the cartridge is unclear, but for now, all of its announced titles will do so, which is a nice break. Many first-party Nintendo games are a similar story, asphysical Switch 2 upgrades will not require a download, offering both the base game and the Switch 2 upgrade pack all within the cartridge. Other developers may follow suit, but how they approach it will vary.
