What are Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games? While today’s Nintendo Direct wasn’t the presentation we have all been waiting on (for years now), there were some exciting announcements and new game footage for some highly anticipated titles. It debuted the new Nintendo Today! app you can download for FREE right now as well as the new Virtual Game Cards – a system where by you can lend digital games and load up titles on two different Switch consoles. But there’s also some potentially interesting mentions of Switch 2 games in the fine print here.
Nintendo Virtual Game Cards on Switch 2
Nintendo’s Virtual Game Cards system is effectively Nintendo’s way to allow digital games to be used like physical game cards…sort of.
It allows for the following:
- Move your games between systems – you can pass digital games you own between two different Nintendo Switch system that are linked to the same Nintendo Account. Once a Virtual Game Card is loaded onto a system, “not only can you play it without an internet connection, but other user accounts on the system can play, too.”
- Lend games to members of your Nintendo Account family group – You will be able to lend out Virtual Game Cards to anyone on your Nintendo Account family group. “Just connect to your family group member’s system via local wireless when you want to lend a game. Both systems must also be connected to the internet.”
There are some limitations to the lending action as well though:
You can lend one game per account for 14 days (unless the borrower returns it earlier).
After the game is returned the borrower will still have their save data, so they’ll be able to start where they left off if they borrow again or purchase the game.
Both local wireless and internet communication are required for lending software. Please note that some games, such as games available only as part of a Nintendo Switch Online membership, cannot be lent out.
Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games vs. Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games
But where all of this gets even more investing is in the fine print.
On the official Nintendo page for the Virtual Game Card system, it specifically mentions that “compatible systems must be linked to a Nintendo Account to use virtual game cards,” and that “Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2 system.”
Okay so, no one expected to be able to to play “Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games” on any other system than Nintendo Switch 2, but what are these “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games” you speak of Nintendo?
Switch 2 is apparently backward compatible with Switch 1 games, but it now sounds like there’s a third category of Switch game – Switch 1 games, titles exclusive to Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games.
Are these those Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games that surfaced recently? Reports uncovered a mention of what sounded a lot like “Switch 2 Enhanced” titles buried in the code of the recently-released Xenoblade Chronicles X. This suggested Nintendo would have selection of titles that would automatically see up-res graphical improvements when played on Switch 2.
It just seems unclear at this point as to whether or not Nintendo would charge some sort of a fee for the privilege though. If this functionality is built-in to the game’s code already it would stand to reason that the game would just autumnally see improvements when played on a Switch, but if these enhanced titles are the same as the “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games” mentioned in the fine print on the Virtual Game Card page, it seems odd to make a distinction like this – if “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games” are just Switch 1 games that get auto upgraded when played on Switch 2, why is that they “can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2” system?
Or perhaps Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games are something entirely new, re-released Switch 2 games that you have to buy again to enjoy on Switch 2, perhaps with additional improvements, enhancements, or gameplay additions?
Anyone have any thoughts here?
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