Take Two has revealed during its earnings call that NBA 2K18 will launch digitally first on Switch, with the exact release date for the physical retail version still undecided.
The Switch digital version of NBA 2K18 arrives on September 19th alongside all other formats, but the physical version is listed as coming "Fall 2017".
Elsewhere, both the digital and physical versions of WWE 2K18 are also listed for Fall 2017 on Switch, while all other formats will get the game on October 17th.
Will you be waiting for the physical release of NBA 2K18, or will you simply buy the digital download at launch?
[source nintendoworldreport.com]
Comments 44
Better than nothing.
I've been theorising in the forums why this might be happening.
I can guess why the physical version has been delayed. Similar to NBA Playgrounds, I bet it'll initially be released in a half baked state and they want to wait until it's in a somewhat acceptable condition before printing it on cartridge. The cartridge will always stay the same whereas they can chop and change the digital version as much as they like. It's not fact, just speculation on my part. Maybe there's a cartridge shortage.
Had a look at the file size for NBA 2K17 on PS4 and PC. It was roughly 48 and 50 GB respectively. Sure the Switch version won't be as big as that, but maybe they're looking at compressing the code. The biggest Switch cartridge is 32GB and they're likely costly too.
There could be new cartridge sizes on the way. 64GB would be the logical conclusion, but it could be smaller, maybe 48GB. There's a few games on the way that won't fit on the current maximum. They are NBA 2K18, WWE 2K18 and possibly others. I think the current sizes available are: 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and the maximum 32GB. 64GB would surely be expensive for the publishers and that could be passed onto the consumer. There's also only one place in town that publishers can buy these cartridges. Nintendo. Might they be on a waiting list?
Whatever the reason, the likely result is reduced sales of this game on Switch.
Sad news. Was going to preorder it soon but I suppose I'll hold off on purchasing it. I get too much of a discount on physical games to warrant picking this up digitally.
Switch is viewed as a tablet/portable first in 3rd parties eyes. This approach aligns with that.
Also, the cartridges costing a little more than physical media on PS and XB are factors.
Dat 32GB storage doe lol
@SLIGEACH_EIRE ...You can add and remove stuff from carts too ya know. Turns out those updates for Zelda and ARMS went exclusive to the digital versions. The cartridge versions can be changed via update at any time.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I didn't consider the Switch cart max size limit. 2K series are gigantic games.
@BLP_Software Where on earth did you hear that!?
That doesnt sound good. The casual gamer will be buying from retail when it comes to games like this, so not seeing it on the Switch in physical form at release will likely give people more reason to purchase on another platform resulting in low sales for the Switch.
Not my kind of game, so none of the versions for me.
I was going to pick up this at launch but oh well another short coming
@Grandpa_Pixel Well, how do you think your physical copies of Switch games receive updates huh? You can add and remove or update features of ANY game on the system. Do you know how dumb it would be to keep that to digital only, especially given how physical games ALREADY get updates on the system!
I'm grateful that I'm not into sports games, because if I cared and was looking forward to this release, I would be very disappointed. I foresee playing the Switch for a long time (and likely buying games for it for many years like I have with the 3DS), so I'm doing my best to conserve memory, buying physical games whenever I can. That would mean I would have to wait longer to play the game while other people already had it. But, sports games are not my thing, so crisis averted. I do feel bad for people looking forward to this, though.
@BLP_Software I'd like a link to some evidence please? I doubt that's true. The cartridges are read only as far as I'm aware. Any patches or DLC are downloaded to the internal memory or a micro SD card.
@BLP_Software
I think everyone was getting at the fact that what is on the cartridge stays on the cartridge - updates are on the system itself - the way you worded it sounded like you can add updates to the cartridge, which isn't how it works and likely caused the confusion
@BLP_Software Physical games get updates, however these updates are stored on the device, not on the cartridge.
@essiw @Malanta @SLIGEACH_EIRE Yeah they are.
But why does that matter? Updates for digital games are just added on in system memory too. That's how it works. Not being able to write to the cart isn't an issue. It never has been. You cant rewrite to a disc either. Its why it's always listed as Update Data, separate from saves.
So seriously, WHY would this be an issue? They can just update the game anyway!
@BLP_Software
I suspect its just wanting to release it "complete" as possible on the cartridge to start with, people may be buying cartridges to save on memory space/not have a micro sd card - if they release a game that requires 5gb or 10gb of updates or something stupid people wouldn't be happy
This really sucks for those who've ordered the super expensive physical special editions.
@BLP_Software Well instead of seeing it as an issue, they might view the e-shop as some kind of way to test their game (like it is a beta-version) for bugs that they did not come across, so that the physical buyers (which are a different usergroup) immediatly have the best experience. That is just something that came to mind, not stating this as the truth.
@essiw Then why don't they also do that on the other consoles? You have to do updates for those versions too, physical or not.
Why just Switch? You cant rewrite to the discs and it's still update data on internal memory.
This argument doesn't hold up because...well if that was the case, again, updating physical copies would have the same issue elsewhere when frankly it doesn't.
I think its down to cartridges using Flash storage, which is the same issue making the actual physical consoles has. Once you hit 32GB flash that's when Apple wants them all for phones.
This doesn't seem optimal, but certainly beats having the game delayed both digitally and physically.
Kinda sucks for the uninformed consumer who walks into the store and only sees the other versions.
I have no idea why it happens this way, but I guess we'll hear about it soon enough.
Yeah, I expect this to be rough upon release. If it's good, I'll absolutely download it on my micro SD card. But definitely a wait-and-see purchase.
Well, this bites! Something told me to not to preorder this game physically for the Switch but I want it physical for the box art. Haha.
Red flags for the Switch version of 2K18 went up for me when they originally said that the game was coming out on Monday 9/18/17 which made no sense at the time because games come out on Tuesdays and Fridays. Not Mondays.
Dang it. Digital it is then. Better than nothing at this point. I really want that 2K18 on the Switch so yea. Thats it.
WTF? Really though? Then they blame us for not buying. A lot of people still prefer physical games. This decision just killed all of those peoples' intentions to buy. Oh well.
I'll happily wait as the saying goes good things come to those who wait.
Assuming that the game is respectable, physical, always physical. Why would I give up the discount I get on physical to get a download that takes up what space I have on my Switch?
As an aside, I am actually considering getting WWE which I have not played in any form since Snes at my cousins house as a child. I'm a sucker for a good career mode.
Well that kills any possibility there might've been for me pre-ordering.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I appreciate your thoughts on the Why the physical might have been postponed.
I think I'm just going to download it digitally. My 200 GB microSD has plenty of space still.
It's better this way then both be delayed until Fall, but still I understand why it could upset people
@wiggleronacid I pre-ordered the more expensive Shaq edition (I like him WAY more than Kyrie) and I'm not that put out. I'll probably just download the game instead.
And third partied complain later that their games dont sell, its like a self fullfilling prophecy.
Between this and Capcom, I'm not having too much hope.
This is a bad move. Game stores don't promote digital as much and when a person walks into a store and sees a physical copy of these games on everything but switch they are going to assume it didn't come out on switch. Volume draws people to game walls where they then make a selection but if your section has 80% less different games on the wall than somebody else, it doesn't matter how good those games are, most people will go where there are more options.
Getting wwe physical whenever it comes out.
I'm sure this game will blow away NBA Playgrounds and will not be half baked. I will be purchasing the digital copy day 1.
Meh. Not buying either, due to my boycott of the NBA and I don't care about sports games...
Trying to decide between this and DB Xenoverse 2. If the file size is too large then I'll get Xenoverse 2 and just wait for the physical version of this to go on sale.
Zelda is my only physical game by the way.
i have the legendary gold edition preorder.
Picking this up day 1 because I'm a big sports game fan, and also because as a Nintendo fan we don't get Didley squat as far as simulation sports games are concerned.
NBA 2K always have taken up ridiculous amounts of space despite it being a basketball game. Wonder if there is some way to slice it
@VrginX Why are you boycotting the NBA?
@Malcrash How does basketball dictate how big it is? I always thought it was normal considering how heavy the engine was.
@NIN10DOXD I never said that, if it's basketball, it will take a lot of memory. I said that the NBA 2K series itself takes up so much space. This has to do with the modes and the graphics (with all of the advanced effects and trying to capture the likeness of the players) and even the lengthy licensed soundtrack and commentary. Not even the EA Sports games venture beyond 35+ GB
@NIN10DOXD My boycott started 10 years ago, when the NBA and a bunch of lying, scheming Oklahomans hijacked the team of my youth to some tornado bait, cow pasture hell hole in the middle of nowhere... https://youtu.be/s9Dp20ydm1E
@VrginX Oh ok. Yeah that was lame. U remember when the original Hornets left Charlotte, it hurt a lot of fans where I grew up. I hope Seattle gets the Sonics back.
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