If you were hoping there would soon be an alternative to the Nintendo Switch 2's increasingly controversial Game-Key Card situation, think again. Because, at least for now, things remain as they are, with developers having to choose between the Game-Key Card or the standard 64GB cart.
Initially, R-Type Dimensions 3 publisher Inin Games may have potentially let the cat out of the bag early, only to backtrack on their word for still-unknown reasons.
Nintendo Switch 2 cartridges are already too confusing for their own good
Game key cards will cause a lot of headaches on Nintendo Switch 2.
In an update that has since been corrected, announcing that R-Type Dimensions 3 would indeed be on a cartridge, Inin Games wrote on its website, “There's no better timing: Two days ago, Nintendo announced two new smaller cartridge sizes for the Nintendo Switch 2. This allows us to recalculate production in a way that was previously not possible.”
Except that wasn't exactly the case, and the statement was retracted.
“There has been no official announcement or confirmation from Nintendo regarding cartridge storage capacity,” a statement read in part. “Any reference to specific storage sizes should not be construed as official information from Nintendo.”
“At this time we can only confirm that our upcoming release R-Type Dimensions III will be on a physical cartridge. No further technical details regarding cartridge specifications have been officially confirmed.”
Ultimately, it's unclear why the withdrawal was made, and whether there really are two new cartridges on the way is still impossible to know. Of course, it would be a big step forward if there was a little more flexibility for the developers, but until Nintendo says one way or another, it's best to assume that nothing has changed.
For what it's worth, the Inin website notes that “the retail and special edition price of the NSW2 version will increase by €10 due to the still higher production costs,” a common element with produced physical cartridges.
Not even a year in, game key cards have been the bane of players
Even before the Switch 2 was officially released, the idea of Game-Key Cards, or full games not available on a cartridge, was the wrong way around. So much so that CEO Doug Bowser addressed the controversy by noting that physical games remain “a key part of our business” and that the company plans to support them for “the immediate future.”
There have been a number of titles that have been released via Game-Key Card, only for players to respond negatively in response, including Persona 3 Reload. At one point, sentiment around the Switch 2 hit an all-time low, largely due to the cartridges.
Finally, in a massive blow to game preservation, Japan's National Diet Library deemed game key cards ineligible for preservation, as the cartridges are not technically physical media containing the content.
- Stamp
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Nintendo
- Original release date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- Operating system
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Proprietary
- Resolution
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- HDR support
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Yes
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