NIS America is getting a fair bit of backlash for defending the Nintendo Switch 2‘s infamous Game-Key cards during a recent interview, where it called them the “most beneficial option” for players.
Despite receiving very positive reviews and selling like hot cakes, the Nintendo Switch 2 has been no stranger to controversies since it was first announced. Ignoring the annoying year and a bit we all spent waiting for the console to be announced, Nintendo has done some pretty strange and annoying things with the Switch 2.
Without a doubt, the biggest issue that most players have had with Nintendo’s latest console is the introduction of Game-Key cards, which are basically the cartridge equivalent of a code in a box that makes you download the game itself. Although PlayStation and Xbox have been doing actual codes in a box for ages, Nintendo fans have still really taken issue with Game-Key cards.
NIS America attempts to defend Game-Key cards, but most players aren’t having it
“The worst of both worlds”
Since the launch of the Switch 2, we’ve heard a lot about why Game-Key cards are even a thing, with one leak suggesting it’s a cost-cutting measure since full 64GB cards are more expensive. Publishers haven’t talked about Game-Key cards much over the past few months, but that just changed thanks to an interview with NIS America.
Earlier this week, Nintendo Life chatted to Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo about the impending release of Trails Beyond the Horizon on Switch 2. While the main interview is a lovely discussion about Trails, Nintendo Life also got a response from NIS America about its controversial use of Game-Key cards for its Switch 2 releases.
In response, NIS America said that it decided to release Trails Beyond the Horizon on a Game-Key card because it believed “it was the most beneficial option for our consumers”. It’s not really clear why it thinks that, but Switch 2 fans aren’t really having it. Twitter user Chris_TV_Live called it an “absolutely terrible response” since Game-Key cards aren’t beneficial for players at all.
To play devil’s advocate, NIS America likely sees Game-Key cards as the only way to guarantee a “physical” release for its games on the Switch 2.
It seems like a lot of Switch 2 users agree with the post, although there are some that have tried to defend it as still being the “cheaper option”. This is despite the fact that the Game-Key card release is more expensive than most other versions, which makes the “beneficial” claim all the more confusing.