Publisher ININ Games just pulled off one of the most awkward leaks in recent gaming history. The company briefly announced that Nintendo had revealed two new smaller cartridge sizes for the Switch 2, only to frantically delete the post and walk back their statement hours later. But the damage was already done, and the gaming community got a glimpse into what Nintendo’s been planning for physical media on their next console.
The Leak That Nintendo Didn’t Want
On December 18, 2024, ININ Games posted an update about their upcoming title R-Type Dimensions III. The announcement included a bombshell revelation that Nintendo had just announced two new smaller cartridge formats for the Switch 2. According to their original statement, this development would allow them to release the game on a full physical cartridge instead of the controversial Game-Key Cards that gamers have been complaining about.
The timing was perfect, ININ noted. These new cartridge options enabled them to recalculate production costs and finally offer a proper physical release for both US and European markets. However, something clearly went wrong behind the scenes. Later that same day, ININ completely scrubbed their announcement, deleted the blog post, and issued a carefully worded correction that basically screamed “Nintendo made us take this down.”
The Awkward Retraction
ININ Games’ revised statement couldn’t have been more obvious if they tried. “There has been no official announcement or confirmation from Nintendo concerning cartridge storage capacities,” the company stated. “Any references to specific storage sizes should not be interpreted as official information from Nintendo.” Translation: we weren’t supposed to say that, please don’t sue us Nintendo.
Despite the retraction, ININ still confirmed they would proceed with a physical cartridge release for R-Type Dimensions III on Switch 2. They just conveniently stopped mentioning why they could suddenly afford to do so. The internet never forgets though, and screenshots of the original announcement quickly spread across gaming forums and social media.
What This Means for Physical Games
Before this leak, developers reportedly only had two options for Switch 2 physical releases: expensive 64GB cartridges or the dreaded Game-Key Cards. Game-Key Cards are essentially physical boxes containing only a download code, which defeats the entire purpose of buying physical media. Gamers hate them because they offer no real ownership, take up space, and become useless if the digital store ever shuts down.
According to the rumors ININ seemingly corroborated, Nintendo is now producing 16GB and 32GB cartridge options. These smaller capacities would be significantly cheaper for publishers, making physical releases viable for indie and mid-tier games that don’t need massive storage. ININ had previously stated that using the standard 64GB cartridge would have increased R-Type Dimensions III’s price by at least €15, which would have priced them out of offering a physical version at all.
The Price You Pay for Physical
There’s a catch though. Even with the smaller, cheaper cartridges, ININ announced that R-Type Dimensions III’s physical edition would cost €10 more than the digital version. That’s still better than the €15 premium they expected with 64GB cartridges, but it shows that Switch 2 cartridges remain expensive compared to Sony and Microsoft’s Blu-ray discs.
This price gap could become a serious issue for Nintendo. If physical Switch 2 games consistently cost $10 to $15 more than their PlayStation 5 or Xbox counterparts, many consumers will simply buy those versions instead. Or worse, they’ll go fully digital, which would undermine the entire purpose of offering smaller cartridges in the first place.
Why Cartridge Costs Matter
The Switch 2 cartridge situation has been brewing for months. Earlier reports from Brazilian gaming journalists and sources like Nintendeal suggested Nintendo was phasing out all cartridge options except the expensive 64GB models. This sent shockwaves through the development community, particularly smaller publishers who couldn’t justify the manufacturing costs for physical releases.
Game cartridges use flash memory, which is significantly more expensive than the optical discs used by PlayStation and Xbox. While a Blu-ray disc costs around $2 to $3 to produce, Nintendo’s cartridges reportedly cost multiple times that amount even for smaller capacities. Rising material costs and chip shortages have only made the situation worse. Sources told Nintendeal that despite the smaller sizes, these new cartridges would still be expensive and take time to become widely available.
The Game Preservation Angle
Physical media advocates have been sounding alarm bells about Game-Key Cards since they first appeared. These cards represent everything wrong with modern gaming preservation. When you buy a Game-Key Card, you’re not actually buying the game. You’re buying a piece of cardboard with a code that might stop working someday when digital stores inevitably shut down.
The introduction of 16GB and 32GB cartridges won’t eliminate Game-Key Cards entirely. AAA titles that require massive storage will still need either the 64GB carts or resort to download codes. But for the vast majority of games, these smaller options could mean the difference between a true physical release and another worthless box taking up shelf space.
What Nintendo Hasn’t Said
Nintendo has remained completely silent on all of this. They haven’t officially announced the Switch 2 itself, let alone its cartridge specifications. The company’s tight-lipped approach means everything we know comes from leaks, developer statements, and industry sources. ININ’s accidental confirmation and subsequent panic deletion only adds more weight to what many already suspected was true.
Reports suggest Nintendo is still working out the logistics of these smaller cartridges. There are potential downsides beyond just cost. According to Nintendeal, the smaller capacity cards may be slightly slower than the 64GB models due to the technology used. This speed difference might matter for some games, though it’s unclear how significant the performance gap would be in real-world usage.
FAQs
What sizes of Switch 2 cartridges is Nintendo reportedly offering?
According to the leak from ININ Games and earlier rumors, Nintendo is producing 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB cartridge options for the Switch 2, giving developers more flexibility based on their game’s storage needs.
What are Game-Key Cards and why do gamers hate them?
Game-Key Cards are physical boxes that only contain a download code instead of an actual game cartridge. Gamers dislike them because they offer no real ownership, become useless if digital stores shut down, and defeat the purpose of buying physical media for game preservation.
Why did ININ Games delete their announcement?
ININ Games likely received instructions from Nintendo to remove any references to unannounced cartridge specifications. Nintendo hasn’t officially revealed the Switch 2 yet, so any leaked technical details would violate NDAs or partnership agreements.
Will R-Type Dimensions III still get a physical release on Switch 2?
Yes, ININ Games confirmed that R-Type Dimensions III will release on a physical cartridge for Switch 2 in US and European markets, though the price will be €10 higher than the digital version due to production costs.
Why are Switch 2 cartridges so expensive compared to PlayStation or Xbox discs?
Switch cartridges use flash memory technology, which costs significantly more to produce than the Blu-ray discs used by Sony and Microsoft. A Blu-ray disc costs around $2 to $3, while cartridges cost multiple times that amount even at smaller capacities.
Will smaller cartridges eliminate Game-Key Cards entirely?
No, Game-Key Cards will likely remain for very large AAA titles that exceed even the 64GB cartridge capacity. However, smaller cartridges should reduce their use for indie and mid-sized games that previously couldn’t afford physical releases.
Are the smaller capacity cartridges slower than 64GB ones?
According to reports from industry sources, the 16GB and 32GB cartridges may be slightly slower than the 64GB models due to differences in flash memory technology, though the real-world impact on gameplay performance remains unclear.
The Bottom Line
ININ Games’ accidental leak and panicked retraction tells us everything we need to know. Nintendo is clearly working on multiple cartridge capacity options for the Switch 2, even if they’re not ready to announce them publicly. For physical game collectors and preservation advocates, this is genuinely good news. More cartridge options means more actual physical releases instead of the hollow promise of Game-Key Cards. The €10 price premium stings, but it beats having no physical option at all. Now we just have to wait for Nintendo to officially acknowledge what everyone already knows. The Switch 2 is coming, and when it does, at least we’ll have real cartridges to put on our shelves instead of glorified download codes.