During today’s Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed the Virtual Game Card, a new feature for easily managing purchased digital games, playing games on two different systems, as well as lending or borrowing games.
Virtual game cards make it possible to “eject” a purchased digital title from one Nintendo Switch system and “load” it onto another – whether a second system tied to your account, or if it belongs to a member of the same Nintendo Account family group
However, something else has come from this news that is rather interesting and relates to Switch 2. We learned during the presentation that Virtual Game Cards would be a service on Switch and Switch 2, but the service’s fine print gives us a some new insight Switch 2 hardware.
From the Virtual Game Gards website:
Compatible systems must be linked to a Nintendo Account to use virtual game cards. Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2 system.
While the Switch and Switch 2 compatibility was known, this is the first we’ve seen Nintendo mention “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games,” and it is important to note that Nintendo states this alongside “Switch 2 exclusive games,” so these are different things. We don’t have information on what exactly that means, but we’d imagine it’s for titles like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Rhythm Heaven Groove, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and more. The wording from Nintendo does make it seem like Switch 2 owners will be able to get select “Switch 2 Editions” of Switch 1 games, but we have no clue as to what will make them different from the Switch version.
Hopefully we get more insight into what this is all about come the April 2nd Nintendo Direct. If we do, we will be sure to share the news.
