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Nintendo has officially confirmed that it has no current plans to abandon physical game releases. Bill van Zyll, the company's vice president and general manager for Latin America, stated in an interview with YouTuber Coelho no Japão that the upcoming Switch 2 console will support both digital purchases and physical formats.
The company's approach to physical media is guided by player preference. These releases may include traditional game cartridges or Game-Key Cards, which serve as physical access keys for digital content. While some players have expressed dissatisfaction when retail boxes contain only these keys rather than the full game, van Zyll acknowledged that Nintendo remains committed to offering physical options for the time being.
These comments arrive amidst broader industry discussions regarding game ownership and a shift toward digital-only models. For instance, Sony has previously announced plans to move away from physical discs for new PlayStation releases by 2028, though reports suggest this strategy may be subject to reconsideration. Nintendo's current stance highlights a divergence in industry approaches, though the company's statements do not serve as a permanent guarantee for the future of physical media.
