Nintendo Apparently Has A Policy To Prevent Game-Key Cards Getting A Full-Cart Reprint
According to Canadian retailer Video Games Plus, Nintendo has established a policy preventing publishers from reprinting Game-Key Card releases as full cartridges on Switch 2. The claim emerged following Nintendo’s introduction of smaller cartridge size options earlier this year, which sparked speculation about whether Game-Key Card games—games that require a separate cartridge key—might eventually receive proper full-cartridge physical reprints on the new hardware.
However, the retailer’s assertion suggests that Nintendo’s policies may prohibit such reprints, effectively restricting publishers’ options for how they can physically distribute Game-Key Card titles going forward. This would preserve the Game-Key Card system as Nintendo’s preferred format for certain releases while preventing alternative distribution methods.
The information comes from a forum post on Famiboards that has since been deleted, with the claim initially reported by Nintendo Wire. While Video Games Plus is an established Canadian game retailer, the policy details remain unconfirmed by Nintendo itself.