Key information
Nintendo Latin America Vice President and General Manager Bill van Zyll stated that the company has no plans to abandon physical game media for the upcoming Switch 2 console. Speaking at the Brazil Game Show 2026, he confirmed that the platform will continue to support both digital downloads and physical game cards.
The decision to maintain physical releases is driven by high consumer demand in Latin American markets. Van Zyll noted that players value the ability to collect physical copies, lend games to friends, and participate in the secondary resale market, features that are currently unavailable with purely digital purchases.
While the company remains committed to physical formats, the Switch 2 introduces a new game key card system alongside traditional cards. This format allows for lending and transferring ownership but requires an internet connection for initial installation. Consequently, Nintendo's policy does not guarantee that every future title will utilize standard game cards.
Although these comments do not constitute a formal global corporate announcement, they clarify that there is no current directive across Nintendo branches to discontinue physical sales. This stance contrasts with recent policy shifts from other industry competitors regarding physical media distribution.
