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Nintendo has confirmed it has no immediate plans to abandon physical game formats for the Switch 2. During the Brasil Game Show 2026, Bill van Zyll, Nintendo's vice president for Latin America, stated that the company remains agnostic and prioritizes consumer preference. This decision contrasts with Sony, which plans to end disc support for PlayStation by January 2028.
The Switch 2, released in June 2025, features a functional cartridge slot. While Nintendo maintains this hardware, the company faces economic pressures due to production and logistics costs. Consequently, physical versions often carry higher recommended retail prices than digital counterparts, such as Mario Kart World, which costs 89,99 € in physical form compared to 79,99 € digitally.
A significant shift involves the rise of Game-Key Cards, which contain no game data and require mandatory eShop downloads. By February 2026, 56 Switch 2 titles utilized this format, compared to only 23 full-data cartridges. These cards allow for resale and lending but rely on internal storage and internet connectivity.
Long-term preservation remains a concern, as many physical releases require day-one patches or server-side data to function. Analysts note that while Nintendo remains a primary supporter of physical media, the company's commitment is contingent on continued consumer demand, leaving the future of the format beyond the current generation uncertain.
