Switch 2 Game-key Cards are the 'best way forward' for players, Final Fantasy director says

Nintendo's new Game-key Cards are the best way forward for game developers and consumers, Square Enix developer Naoki Hamaguchi says

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The Switch 2's newer Game-key cards aren't too popular among gamers. The cartridges don't hold games, but instead contain license keys to unlock access to a downloadable version of the game. There's not much data on the actual cartridge storage. The strategy is a heavy-handed push towards digital access that's sold as a physical product--just like most game discs these days--but it's not just about business. For game developers, it's also about necessity.

We've heard multiple game devs talk about why they choose Switch 2 Game-key Cards instead of shipping their full games on Game Cards. It's a cost vs performance equation: Game-key Cards are cheaper to make, potentially more profitable, and aren't limited by the slow data transfer rates of Nintendo's proprietary cartridges. While the Switch 2 itself supports SF Express flash, and while the console's storage supports up to 2.1GB/sec transfer rates, the actual data speeds between the game cartridge and the console aren't fast enough to meet developer's needs.

Now once again, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi re-affirms his position on Switch 2 Game-key Cards, praising the new business model.

In a recent interview with website JP Games, Hamaguchi reiterated his thoughts on Game-key Cards, saying that he believes they deliver benefits for both game devs and players, as many of the games may not have come to Switch 2 otherwise:

"Personally, I feel that the loading speed issue for the game cartridge is more about the hardware spec of the Nintendo Switch 2. I'm not with Nintendo, so I can't really speak to that side. That said, I do feel that the Game Key Card format that Nintendo created for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a really amazing new idea that they had offered for us.

"I don't personally see Nintendo working towards trying to improve the loading speed for the cartridges. Rather, I feel that Nintendo will put more effort into popularizing the Game Key Card format which again is a really fantastic idea for us developers. Also, we hope players familiarize themselves with what that costs them. That obviously is something we can help out with as well, from the developer side.

"I think that the collaborative effort between Nintendo and publishers trying to promote the Game Key Card will be the best way forward for all players in the future."

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launches on Switch 2 on January 22, 2026, and yes, it'll ship on a Game-key Card.