Nintendo is reportedly backing down from a controversial decision that would have made physical games much harder to produce for the Switch 2. According to multiple sources in the game preservation community, the company is now manufacturing smaller capacity game cartridges after initially planning to only offer expensive 64GB cards. The news comes as a relief to indie developers and physical game collectors who were concerned about being forced toward digital-only releases.
The Original Problem
When Nintendo first outlined its plans for Switch 2 game cards, the company told developers it would only manufacture 64GB cartridges. This created a major headache for smaller studios. If your game is only 8GB or 15GB, paying for a 64GB cartridge makes no financial sense. The manufacturing costs would eat into already thin profit margins, making physical releases economically impossible for many titles.
The alternative Nintendo offered was Game Key Cards, which are essentially physical boxes containing download codes instead of actual game data. These codes require players to download the full game from the eShop, defeating the purpose of buying physical in the first place. Game preservationists and collectors were understandably upset, as these cards offer no real ownership and become worthless if Nintendo ever shuts down the Switch 2 digital store.
What Changed
Industry insider Nintendeal, who has a track record of accurate Nintendo leaks, confirmed the production of smaller capacity cards on social media. The leaker stated that Nintendo is now making lower-capacity options, though specific sizes haven’t been officially confirmed. Other sources suggest 16GB and 32GB variants are in the works, which would cover most indie games and smaller first-party releases comfortably.
However, there’s a catch. The smaller cartridges are facing production delays due to ongoing chip shortages affecting the tech industry. Switch 2 game cards use NVME storage technology, and many chip manufacturers have pivoted their production toward AI-focused products, leaving less capacity for gaming hardware. This means widespread availability of the smaller cards could take months after the Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025.
Cost Concerns Remain
Don’t expect these smaller cartridges to be cheap. Even with reduced storage capacity, the cards will still carry high manufacturing costs due to rising material prices and the ongoing chip shortage. Publishers will likely still face difficult decisions about whether physical releases make financial sense, especially for budget-priced games where cartridge costs could represent a significant chunk of the retail price.
The situation highlights a broader issue Nintendo has struggled with since the N64 days. Choosing proprietary storage formats over industry-standard options like optical discs has repeatedly created cost and capacity problems. The Switch 2 uses microSD Express cards for expandable storage, which are significantly more expensive than the standard microSD cards used by the original Switch. Everything about this ecosystem costs more.
Why This Matters
Physical game preservation is becoming increasingly important as more titles go digital-only. When servers shut down or licensing agreements expire, digital games can disappear forever. Physical cartridges provide a permanent way to own and play games, assuming they actually contain the game data. Game Key Cards undermine this entirely, which is why the physical gaming community pushed back so hard against Nintendo’s initial plans.
For indie developers, this news opens the door to proper physical releases without breaking the bank. Many smaller studios release limited physical editions through companies like Limited Run Games or Special Reserve Games. Having access to appropriately sized cartridges means these special editions can remain viable without requiring massive print runs to justify the manufacturing costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sizes will the new Switch 2 cartridges be?
While not officially confirmed, sources suggest Nintendo is producing 16GB and 32GB options alongside the existing 64GB cards. These smaller capacities would be suitable for indie games and smaller releases.
When will smaller cartridges be available?
Due to chip shortages affecting production, widespread availability of the smaller capacity cards will take time. They may not be readily available at the Switch 2 launch on June 5, 2025, but should arrive sometime after.
Will these smaller cartridges be cheaper?
Not necessarily. Despite having less storage capacity, the cards will still be expensive due to rising material costs and chip shortages. They’ll be more affordable than 64GB cards, but may still carry a premium price.
What are Game Key Cards?
Game Key Cards are physical boxes that contain download codes instead of actual game cartridges. You still need to download the full game from the Nintendo eShop, making them essentially digital purchases in physical packaging.
Why doesn’t Nintendo use standard SD cards?
Nintendo uses proprietary cartridge technology for security and piracy prevention. Standard SD cards would be much cheaper and easier to produce, but Nintendo prioritizes protecting its games from unauthorized copying.
Will original Switch cartridges work on Switch 2?
Nintendo has confirmed backward compatibility for Switch games on Switch 2, so your existing physical cartridges should work on the new system.
How much storage does the Switch 2 have?
The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, a massive upgrade from the original Switch’s 32GB. Storage can be expanded using microSD Express cards up to 2TB, though these cards are more expensive than standard microSD cards.
Looking Forward
This rumor suggests Nintendo is listening to developer and consumer feedback, which is encouraging. The company has often been criticized for stubborn decisions that hurt third-party publishers and players alike. If the smaller cartridges materialize as reported, it would show Nintendo is willing to adapt its plans when faced with legitimate criticism. The physical gaming community will be watching closely to see if these cards actually become widely available or if Game Key Cards remain the norm for smaller releases. Either way, the next few months leading up to the Switch 2 launch will reveal whether Nintendo has truly learned from past storage format mistakes.