During the recent Nintendo Direct event, Nintendo surprised everyone with an exciting update on how digital games will be managed. They’ve introduced Virtual Game Cards, a game-changer for digital Switch titles. These can be easily swapped between different consoles or even shared among family members.
For those who own multiple Switch consoles, Virtual Game Cards offer a seamless way to switch games between your systems. You’ll need to connect your consoles locally just once—after that, you’ll only need internet when “ejecting” or “loading” a Virtual Game Card. Other than these actions, you can enjoy your games offline.
One of the most appealing aspects of this update is that there’s no limit to the number of accounts on a single Switch that can use a Virtual Game Card. It functions much like a physical game card, unlike previous digital purchases. Earlier, digital games could be shared across all accounts on your main console but restricted to the owner on any secondary console. Plus, an internet connection was mandatory for secondary use.
Addressing a common frustration among families, Nintendo now allows Virtual Game Cards to be lent to family members in a shared account group. Each card can be loaned for up to 14 days, after which it automatically returns to the owner. However, you can only lend one game per family member at a time.
As someone with a family full of Nintendo Switch enthusiasts, I can attest that this update is a game-changer, even with Nintendo’s rules in place. I’ve stuck to buying physical games for years just to share them easily, so this new approach to digital games opens up so many possibilities.
Interestingly, during the announcement, Nintendo didn’t touch upon the upcoming Switch 2. We’re yet to see if this new Virtual Game Card system will be compatible with the next-gen console. It does seem like a perfect solution to streamline digital library management for both current and future Switch players.
