Topic: Game Key Cards... What is the point?

@skywake the difference is that you have a mandatory check to play the game.

With physical games you do not have that check.

My only issue is that you do not own the game. You own a license to download it and play it. You do not have any of the code, logic and assets on the physical media you bought. And that is why it is cheaper than a full release.

DLC, updates are fine as long as they are not mandatory.

Well, my spouse for example has her own Switch, and I've friends who play on Switch too, so the ability to lend games is quite important to me. If these key-card games end up being relatively cheap, it might make sense for us the get one copy for our household instead of paying more to buy the same game twice from the Eshop so that both of us can have it.

I'm opposed to it too, but we'll have to see what the pricing trend for key-card games will actually be. If they end up costing roughly the same as regular physical games, then that's greed for sure. But at the moment the key-card release of the Bravely Default HD remaster sells for half the price of regular physical Switch 2 games. For me, that seems like a fair price for this kind of product, so I ended up preordering it. AFAIK no other key-card games are up for preorder yet, so we don't how the publishers are gonna price them when compared to regular physical releases and Eshop releases.

@Polvasti I meant that a key-cart will be cheaper for publishers for sure. Otherwise they would've used normal game carts.

Bravely Default HD is a 3ds game if I remember correctly. It should cost lower than other games.

And if a relatively new game on key cart costs the same as a regular cart games then it is a double ripoff

@Zuljaras Yes, but like I said we don't yet know what the general trend for key-card prices will be, so I'm not gonna call out publishers for their greed until we do.

@Polvasti We do not need a trend for key-carts. It is a simple choice you either put the game on a cart or use a key-cart.

And there is a reason why people were against code in a box and not key carts.

@Zuljaras I don't think you understood me. What I meant was that we can't yet say the key-cards are an example of publisher greed when we don't yet know what the average price of them is gonna be when compared to regular physical games. Like I said, so far we know the actual price of exactly one key-card game, Bravely Default, so we can't deduce any pricing trends from that.

@Polvasti I understood you

I am just saying that it does not matter because in both cases the customer plays the price. We will either have a normal release or a key-cart.

And there are 2 reasons to put a game on e key-cart.

1. The game is so BIG it can't fit on a 64GB cart (which is the largest one for now)
2. The publisher just wants to put something on the shop shelves.

Bravely Default HD is 11GB if I am not mistaken and still, they put it on a key-cart. What does that tell you?

@Zuljaras

I'm sure there'll be a third reason:

3. The cost of putting the game on regular cart is high enough that the publisher doesn't want to take the risk, especially if they're a smaller company. So they'll publish it on key-cart, which for most intents and purposes can be sold and used just like a regular physical game.

Let's say the standard price of a regular physical Switch 2 game is 70 euros, the price for a key-card version of the same game is 40 euros (because of the reduced manucacturing cost), and the price for the Eshop version is 30 euros. In that case, a key-card game might be a sensible option for the publisher, and for someone like me who wants to share the game with their spouse. Instead of paying 70 euros for a regular physical game or 80 euros for buying the same game from the Eshop for both of us we are saving money by getting a 40 euro key-card both of us can use. And when we get tired of the game, we can get some of our money back by selling the key-card to someone else.

Now, no one knows yet if the pricing trends of key-cards will be anything like the above. But if they will be, key-cards are not necessarily a rip-off.

@Polvasti For you yes, for me no.

Those who are willing to give 70 Euros are waiting for releases from LRG at this point because publishers want to cheap out on the cartridge.

'Traditional' Physical Game:

• Internet: No internet required Ever (though you might miss patches)
• Longevity: Lasts as long as you have a working disk
• Loss: Lost or damaged disk means lost game.
• Resale: Can lend or sell disk
• Physical presence: Can admire your box.
• Price: Costs money to makes box and big disk

Game Key Cards:

• Internet: Internet required sometimes
• Longevity: Lasts as long as you have the disk and never reset console and/or servers keep allowing download.
• Loss: Lost or damaged disk means lost game. (same as above)
• Resale: Can lend or sell disk while servers for game download still exist.
• Physical presence: Can admire your box. (same as above)
• Price: Costs money to makes box and small disk

Code in box:

• Internet: Internet required sometimes (same as above)
• Longevity: Lasts as long as you never reset console and/or servers keep allowing download.
• Loss: Lost account means lost game if you reset console.
• Resale: Effectively None and lending is only possible with caveats.
• Physical presence: Can admire your box. (same as above)
• Price: Costs money to makes box but not disk

Pure digital:

• Internet: Internet required sometimes (same as above)
• Longevity: Lasts as long as you never reset console and/or servers keep allowing download. (same as above)
• Loss: Lost account means lost game if you reset console. (same as above)
• Resale: Effectively None and lending is only possible with caveats. (same as above)
• Physical presence: Neither shelf art nor shelf clutter
• Price: No box or disk cost.

Am I missing anything major?

Where are you getting this nonsense from? You don't. It's a physical licence the same as the physical copy it just doesn't have the data on the card

I'll put it this way, you know when on the Switch currently there's a free trial of a game. You get a digital copy, you have a temporary digital licence, you get to download. Then once that timer finishes you can't access the game. However the game data and save data remains on the console. The same is true if you have a secondary console you share your digital library with or similar scenarios

If you put a physical game card in that console do you know what happens? You can play the game. You have a physical licence suddenly. Boom, playable, any user on the console, no restrictions while the cartridge is in there. Because you have a physical key in the console that verifies the purchase

These key cards are no different to that whatsoever. And if you believe for whatever reason that they are? Well, you're wrong. Simple as that

@skywake I got it from the Nintendo site: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a...

"Step 3: Play the game.
Once the game is downloaded, you’re ready to play!

An internet connection is only required when you launch the game for the first time. After this, the game can be started even without an internet connection. "

You need Internet connection the first time you start the game no matter what.

This is called a server check. So, the download is not the only thing that requires internet connection.

I HOPE I am clear.

@FishyS
I think what you have here is close but not entirely correct. I would slightly amend some points

'Traditional' Physical Game:
Internet: In theory can run of card although general restrictions still apply

Game Key Cards:
Internet: In addition to physical restrictions Internet required for the initial download
Longevity: In addition to digital restrictions requires you to keep a working game card

General restrictions:
Longevity: You still need to have working and serviceable hardware. Ultimately the format you pick is eventually going to be meaningless as what will ultimately win in the long term is cracking the DRM, extracting the game files and emulation of the hardware. That fact I would argue makes this entire discussion largely academic

Internet: Many games require servers to still be active for large portions of modern games. Case and point, is Mario Maker still playable even if you have the original Wii U disc? Not really. Was Mario Maker even the same game without the online component? Also no. I don't think there's any getting away from some online connectivity, DRM or otherwise (also none of these options we're listing require "phoning home" style DRM anyways)

I still don't see the issue. The key card is useless without the servers being online to download it anyways. What does it matter? You put the game in, it downloads it, it verifies the download against your card, you start the game. Never online again. What's the problem?

@skywake I just don't want my games (on consoles) to rely on servers. Especially single player games (I don't play multiplayer anyway).

This is a personal preference, so let's agree to disagree.

@Zuljaras
This again is what Nintendo FAQ says. You keep discounting what is clearly said for Nintendo.
About Game-Key Cards
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Hardware/Nintendo-Switch-2/Nin...

Your making contradictions over and over and not listening to what Nintendo FAQ says. And I have said before why don't you just contact Nintendo Support and email them.

@Zuljaras
I understand the desire to not want your games to need a server to run. I get it. I don't share the panic over it and would argue that ultimately the solution is emulation not physically collecting volatile media. But I get it

What I don't get is how the key cards are any different to what already happens. Because they really aren't. You can argue if you want that how things are and have been for gaming since probably the last 20 years give or take isn't great. I might even agree in some cases. I just don't see how game cards are any worse

It's a downloaded digital copy which you can physically trade. I don't see what's not to understand about it

@Jester676 I linked the same page as you.

What did I say that contradicts what is on the page?

I am very curious about the answer.

Where have I stated that I do not understand things about key-carts?

I simply do not like them. Publishers that choose them just to save money do not deserve my money. That is all.

They don't want to listen to what Nintendo FAQ says. Just like Digital eShop games both have to be First Downloaded to play after that the "Key-Card" requires the card to be slotted to play the game. Digital games are Registered to the Nintendo Accounts that download the game and doesn't need verify ownership. The "Key-Card" contains the License just like a "Physical Game" you need to have that game slotted to play. So in "FACT" it acts just like a "Physical Game" but they keep misconstruing what a "Key-Card" game is.

To me gaming has changed "Physical" games aren't as before and having the options even if they are "Key-Card" one has control and isn't Tied to their Nintendo account. This is something I can sacrifice for not willingly but what choice do they give us.

Both eShop and "Key-Card" are Digital download of the game but KEY Difference one is Tied to Nintendo Account the other one is Tied to the "Key-Card. This is the fundamental difference they can't seem to wrap their thoughts around. They are same as Digital downloaded game but one the "License" it tied to the "Key-Card" and can move around. I've seen buyers complain online how they bought the game and now hate the game but since it was a eShop game they have no way to resell the game to recoup their purchase and this happens more then we think but with eShop games you can't return or resell it. And when all time runs out and no longer wanted well give it away or resell it. That's the choice one has now rather then it being stuck on their console for the life of their Nintendo account .

@Jester676 I am starting to think you are a troll.

I KNOW all of that! And I am telling you from the Nintendo PAGE that the DOWNLOAD is NOT ENOUGHT to start playing! Now read that again around 100 times to understand it!

You can USE the key-cart as a physical license AFTER the DOWNLOAD AND THE FIRST STARTUP! Those are 2 things! NOT 1 but 2!

There are outside factors like resetting your Switch to factory settings or having a SD card with the downloaded game and still you have to verify your download after that. So, if the servers are down and you did that you can't play.

Who is saying things about the Nintendo Account besides you? No one!