Nintendo Unveils Virtual Game Card Update Ahead of Switch 2 Launch

Nintendo is updating how digital Nintendo Switch games work with what it’s calling Virtual Game Cards ahead of the impending launch of Nintendo Switch 2.

The company explored how Virtual Game Cards will have players rethinking their purchases during today’s March 2025 Nintendo Direct. We’ll surely have a better understanding of this feature update when it rolls out with a system update in late April, but for now, it appears digital Switch games will now be more clear about where they’re allowed to be played and who you can play them with.

The idea is that Virtual Game Cards allow players to link two of their Switch consoles together and transfer their games between them. If you buy Super Mario Odyssey digitally on your original Switch, for example, it sounds like you'll be free to bring it over to another Switch family device with little to no issue (after the consoles are first paired). Managing your digital Virtual Game Card library can be done on a separate page that connects your consoles together, and it seems choosing where you're playing your games is simple.

Adding to the newfound functionality is a very Nintendo take on what many players refer to as game sharing. The company says you'll be able to "lend out" your purchased games to other members of your Family Group. It's a feature that gives gamers the freedom to choose one game, one of up to eight of their group members, and let them borrow that game for up to two weeks. A single game can only be shared with one member at a time, and it appears you'll lose access to your game for that period, but it is a streamlined way to let friends and family try out some of your favorite titles.

The headline here is that Nintendo wants Virtual Game Cards to be “as flexible and convenient” as physical game cartridges. Digital game owners will be free to move their titles not only between another Switch device but, for a limited time, with friends as well. It's unclear how exactly Virtual Game Cards will work with Nintendo Switch 2, specifically, but it's clear the feature was made with the upcoming sequel console in mind.

We'll hopefully learn more about how Virtual Game Cards might work when the Switch 2 Direct premieres next week. For everything else revealed during today's March 2025 Nintendo Direct, you can see everything else announced here.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).