It seems that Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are unlikely to support Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles, based on current information and product listings available.

Here are the reasons why that appears to be the case:

1. Existence of code-in-box releases for Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles

Two code-in-box releases for Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles have been spotted so far – Civilization 7 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition in Europe, and Shadow Labyrinth Nintendo Switch 2 Edition in Japan. These are the only Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles that are not on Game Cards.

While third-party publishers seem to prefer releasing Game Cards over Game-Key Cards (if costs allow), and Game-Key Cards over code-in-box releases, the existence of these code-in-box releases suggest that Game-Key Cards can’t be used for Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles.

It’s also worth mentioning that Bandai Namco, the publisher of Shadow Labyrinth Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, has always been releasing Nintendo Switch titles in Game Card format in Japan. This being their first code-in-box release in Japan certainly raises eyebrows.

The low price point of the game (about 3,000 yen) could have also contributed to the decision of going with a code-in-box release instead of a 64GB Game Card that is rumored to be very pricey.

It is very likely that Nintendo and other third-party publishers are eating the cost of a 64GB Game Card through the additional cost of an Upgrade Pack, through higher-priced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Tamagotchi Plaza Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.

2. Nintendo Switch systems cannot support Game-Key Cards

According to Marvelous, a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition title on a 64GB Game Card can also be played on Nintendo Switch.

Given that Game-Key Cards are only supported on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo will not be able to offer Nintendo Switch players a way to play Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles on their Nintendo Switch if they came in Game-Key Cards.

3. Platform codes suggest Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles cannot be released as Game-Key Cards

We’ve previously reported that Nintendo Switch 2 Game Cards, Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Game Cards, and Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards have different platform codes, namely BEE, NXS, and POT respectively.

For instance, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch) is HAC-P-AAAAA, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild + Expansion Pass (Nintendo Switch physical release in Japan) is ‎ HAC-P-AAAAG, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is NXS-P-AAAAH. Mario Kart World (Nintendo Switch 2) is BEE-P-AAAAA.

Given that the last character of a product code is reserved for variations of the same game, this suggests that HAC (Nintendo Switch) and NXS (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition) product codes are shared with each other, while BEE (Nintendo Switch 2) and POT (Game-Key Cards) are tied to each other. That is to say, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (first four characters of product code: AAAA) cannot be released as a Game-Key Card, because it would conflict with Mario Kart World, which also uses AAAA for its first four characters.

Conclusion

The reasons outlined in this article show that Nintendo Switch 2 Editions can only be released physically in two formats – either a 64GB Game Card, or a code-in-box release. This means that, for Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles that are not released on a Game Card, we are very likely to see them put out as a code-in-box release instead if the publisher wants to release it at retail.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.