Nintendo Switch retail packaging wastes so much space

Nintendo's next-gen Switch console is nearly here, so we're finally seeing the retail packaging for Switch games - and what a huge waste of plastic for such a small cartridge.

The game cartridges that Nintendo Switch games comes in at 31mm x 21mm x 3mm, making them small - as the 3DS cartridges are just 35mm x 33mm x 4mm. But, Nintendo has used a gigantic case for the cartridge, coming in at 170mm x 104mm x 10mm. SomeSwitch game packages won't include instruction manuals, registration cards, legal health warning or anything else that would use more physical space in the case. However, Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ will have a 20-page full-color game manual, and we can clearly see where the actual game manuals go in the case.

This isn't an unusual thing for Nintendo, as 3DS cartridges only use 2% of the volume in the package, Sony isn't any different with Vita cartridges taking just 0.8% of its total packaging volume. The retail boxes seem to be for those who want to have a library of games on their shelves like previous-gen games - but we live in a new world, Nintendo.