Topic: Backwards & Internet?

Hey everyone, three quick questions please:

• how is backwards compatibility between Switch OG <> Switch 2?
• do you need an internet connection to play games that require a key?
• is the selection of physical games as robust as Switch OG?

@yayasolete13 Hey there...

1) how is backwards compatibility between Switch OG <> Switch 2? IMO pretty solid, I think there is a very very small % of games with issues - but nothing I've played has been problematic. Some games on Switch1 that had uncapped framerates will see small performance enhancements organically (XCOM2 and Witcher3 are a couple I have, which have noticeable improvements playing on Switch2) The 2 Zelda games, BOTW and TOTK, have paid Switch2 upgrades which are pretty incredible to be fair.

2) do you need an internet connection to play games that require a key? You only need the internet for the initial download of the game. Once downloaded, you can play offline fine.

3) is the selection of physical games as robust as Switch OG? Sorry to say this but absolutely "no" (!) The large majority of physical titles are "key code in a box". Nintendo first-party will likely always be available in 'proper' physical, also Cyberpunk 2077 is on a cartridge.
I prefer physical, but made the decision to go fully digital on Switch2 - mix of convenience but also so many games are key-card in a box it just seemed pointless to count myself out of games for being non-physical.

@yayasolete13 Virtually every switch 1 game runs on switch 2, with a few exceptions, Labo, and maybe a few other games aren't compatible.

Do you need internet connection for game key cards?
After you download the game with the key card, you should just need the game key card inserted to play, like any physical switch 1 or 2 game.

Is the selection of physical games robust for switch 2?
No, currently it is not. So far, only Nintendo's own titles like Mario, and a few third party games have full game on game card. Although, sales for third party games that have game key cards have suffered, so it seems third party publishers are feeling more incentive to try and put full game's on switch 2 game cards. We'll see.

Every switch 2 physical game that's a game key card has a white banner across the bottom of the box art stating they are game key cards. Example: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/star-wars-outlaws-gold-editio...

@CJD87 super helpful response, thank you! I really like physical games much better than digital (but, I am also someone who prefers cassettes and CDs over streaming music), so will likely hold off on the switch2 for now

@WoomyNNYes wicked helpful, and thanks for the best buy link too! i really don't understand the point of game keys, besides being cheaper to produce, they open up a whole host of other issues, and probably, like you said, make sales suffer in the long run.

Do PS5 and xBox use game keys too, or physical games?

@yayasolete13
PS5 use Blu-Ray disc.
The games will be installed from the disc onto machine since Blu-Ray reading speed is very slow.

Game key cards are a thing because these switch 2 game cards have newer, faster Express-microSD-like storage, which is still very expensive, especially compared to other consoles where game companies are used to putting a game on a disc, which probably cost pennies to make, while these switch 2 game cards are estimated to cost like $16 USD a piece, which I think is on top of the like 30% slice of the game price that goes to Nintendo.(If I understand what's going on).

Game key cards were created to be a better alternative to a redeem code in a box, because a redeem code in a box can't be shared to a friend or sold. So, that's the reasoning behind the game key cards.

As I understand it, a publisher can either release their game on a key card for roughly the same cost as a disc release on PS5 or Series X, or pay an additional premium for the cartridge.

That's as opposed to the Switch 1, where publishers could get a cartridge of up to 8GB as a part of the platform fee, and only had to pay extra if they needed more than that.

@yayasolete13 I hate to say it, but if you value "true" physical media then this latest iteration of the Nintendo Switch is probably not for you. Game-keys-in-a-box are a strange kind of 'half measure' in which you still have all the inconveniences of physical media (swapping out cartridges to play) and also some of the inconveniences of digital (the games still take up storage as you've downloaded!)

However, the keys-in-a-box allow you to lend games to friends and/or sell once you're finished.

@Anti-Matter thanks

@CJD87 I was wondering if you could trade / sell the keys once done, you read my mind, thanks. When you really think about it though, I guess even 'physical' games are still somewhat digital, as you need some kind of digital reader to use them - unlike an automobile for example. So yah, I kind of get the game keys now, makes sense I think. thanks for your replies - super helpful

@WoomyNNYes I do like how Nintendo is always innovating - that's who they are really. i'll give the keys a chance, but still going to wait a bit to see if the system comes down in proce at all, thanks again for the info

@Matt_Barber thanks for the details - I bet Nintendo is testing the waters, and they can likely quickly pivot back to 'physical' games if the keys become unpopular

@yayasolete13,

"if the system comes down in proce at all"

I'm 100% positive that the Switch 2 will never go down in price (unless you look for a used one several years down the line), if anything it will only go up in price over time, if the pricing situation for the PS5 and XBox Series is anything to go by.

@ShieldHero Yah, you're probably right

@yayasolete13 Nintendo already seem to have figured out how things would go down and all of their games use a proper cartridge.

Rather, key cards are something that they offered up for third party publishers who presumably balked at the expense of it. I suspect that their response would be to only offer downloads if key cards die a death.

@Matt_Barber ah, now that makes more sense, thanks man. I only like a few titles anyway (i.e. zelda, mario, splatoon), so those would all be physical which is cool.