Nintendo has implemented a new functionality called Virtual Game Cards, allowing individuals to transfer digital games from one Nintendo Switch console to another. The function is similar to physical game cards, where individuals can “eject” a digital game off one console and “load” it onto another. The feature will make digital game sharing more convenient, especially for individuals with multiple Switch consoles or in a Nintendo Account Family Group.
Virtual Game Cards will be available for purchase later in April via a system update to the Nintendo Switch. In conjunction with the update, a digital buy automatically becomes a Virtual Game Card, handled by a specialized console interface. A Virtual Game Card may be “loaded” or “ejected,” allowing users to transfer games between two Switch systems belonging to the same account holder.
For the first installation, the local wireless connection is required to turn on the feature between two consoles. However, after installation, users are free to transfer games throughout their systems without limits. The feature is helpful for those within families or who have multiple Switch consoles since purchasing individual copies of the same game is not required.
Virtual Game Cards are also borrowed by members of a Nintendo Account Family Group. This permits users to lend games to a maximum of eight other family members, and each member can borrow a single game at a time for a maximum period of two weeks. Once the lending time is over, the game will return automatically to the owner’s console. The feature does not delete save data, thus enabling games to be lent out again if the borrower wishes to resume playing.
One of the features Nintendo is introducing to enhance user experience before the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 is the addition of Virtual Game Cards. The new console will include backward compatibility with existing Switch games, which will assist in making the upgrade smoother for users. Virtual Game Card functionality will also be available on the Switch 2 at launch.
This innovation addresses the long-standing issue of digital game sharing on the Switch. Digital games previously locked to one console, making it difficult to share them with other individuals or move them to another device. The Virtual Game Card system is more user-centric and flexible, similar to how physical games are shared.
Virtual Game Cards were unveiled in a recent Nintendo Direct presentation, along with several upcoming titles and features on the Switch. News came for other new titles and features coming to the platform, such as the tease of Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and future Rhythm Heaven Groove.
Overall, the Virtual Game Card system is a significant upgrade to Nintendo’s digital game handling, giving customers more control over their digital libraries and enhancing the overall gaming experience on Switch and Switch 2 systems.
