AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from Tom’s Hardware, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

---

Bill van Zyll, Nintendo’s VP and General Manager for Latin America, confirmed in an interview with the Brazilian YouTube channel Coelho no Japão that the company has no plans to abandon physical cartridges. He stated that Nintendo remains agnostic regarding media formats because they follow consumer preference. Van Zyll noted that the new Nintendo Switch 2 platform supports both digital downloads and physical games, reinforcing their commitment to keeping physical releases available for fans.

While many companies are moving toward digital-only models, Nintendo offers a hybrid approach where game-key cards act as a compromise for modern AAA titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Grand Theft Auto VI. These physical cards contain licenses to download full game data because traditional cartridges cannot hold the storage required by large games. Unlike fully digital purchases which grant only access rights, these key cards bind the license to the card itself, allowing owners to trade or sell them similar to standard cartridges.

Effective as of May 2026, physical versions of Nintendo’s first-party titles will cost $10 more than their digital counterparts due to manufacturing and packaging costs. However, Nintendo claims this adjustment lowers digital game prices by $10 for consumers. The company plans for the Switch 2 to last six to seven years, though the future remains uncertain as Sony continues its phase-out of physical media.