Summary
Nintendo’s Virtual Game Cards can be hidden from the user’s content library. This privacy-focused feature even works for software beyondSwitchgames.
Virtual Game Cards are one of the big changes that Nintendo made to digital Switch gamesin preparation for the launch of the Switch 2. In short, VGCs are treated as physical cartridges, meaning they need to be “ejected” from a device before they can be shared on another Switch—or, starting June 5, the Switch 2. The main benefit of this content model is that VGCs can easily be shared between devices, or within a Nintendo Account family group.
A month after announcing Virtual Game Cards, Nintendo officially launched them as part of thenewest Switch operating system update, which became available for download globally on April 29. Identified by version number 20.0.0, this release introduces full-fledged VGC support, whose arrival prompted some users to notice a feature Nintendo has largely overlooked in its prior explanations: the ability to hide any compatible card from the content library.
How To Hide Nintendo Virtual Game Cards
This de-facto filtering option can be found over at the main Virtual Game Cards portal, hidden behind the Options menu of every individual license. ASwitch gamehidden from one’s account can no longer be found on any console to which that account is connected—so long as it’s not already installed on the device. The only way to download a hidden Virtual Game Card is to open the “Redownload Software” screen, then click or tap the big “Can’t Find Software” button at the bottom. From there, the console will prompt the user to log into their Nintendo Account, navigate to the VGC portal, open its hidden list, and install the filtered item from there.
The newly added feature doubles as a sort of rudimentary parental control panel. Granted, Nintendo already offers the Switch Parental Controls app, which was previously confirmed to be working with its upcoming console. The ability to hide Virtual Game Cards hence seems to serve privacy-focused and practical purposes, allowing users to either hide parts of theirmassive Switch catalogaway from prying eyes, or streamline their sizable library by filtering out items they don’t need to access often or ever.
Despite their name suggesting otherwise, Virtual Game Cards appear to support more than just games. Nearly every individual eShop listing gets its own VGC out of the box, allowing users to hide everything from games and DLC to apps, such as YouTube.
