Topic: Switch 2 Transfer Concern

Yeah transfer was super smooth and easy for me too.

I'm gonna do a full system transfer, but I can still throw individual save data back to Switch 1 if I want to, right?

Edit: I realise how it works now, nevermind!

Unless Switch 1 games will load faster and/or perform better by default, I intend to keep playing Switch 1 games on my OLED model, and move my save data (or maybe even start fresh) to the Switch 2 strictly for enhanced games.

I wonder if there'll be a way to do this without designating one console between the two as the "primary" console despite being two separate consoles.

I probably won't do the transfer thing because it will essentially make your old switch like a brand new system without your account or games on it. Is it possible to only copy over your saves but not do the whole transfer?

Will the info on our SD card that is in the Switch go to the Switch 2?

@Truegamer79 The system transfer only removes save data from your original switch that doesn’t support cloud saves, so things like Pokemon and Animal Crossing. Everything else gets left on the original console so you can continue using it if you want.

@Mana_Knight You can insert your old SD card into the Switch 2 to copy and screenshots or videos off it as part of the transfer process. Installed games have to be re-downloaded though.

I can't find where the SD card goes in the Switch 2? I thought they did not work and needed to be Express ones though?

@SillyG
Yes, most Switch 1 games will load faster on the Switch 2 as a little perk without any specific upgrades otherwise. And then some games will have graphical improvements like resolution and/or frame rate (there's a list available for those).

And finally some games are the full-on Switch 2 upgrades with new modes and stuff (Kirby, Mario Party, etc.) , but most of those you have to pay like 10 or 20 bucks (except the Zeldas if you have NSO Expansion).

@Mana_Knight
The system does say they must be Express specifically... so I don't know how that works? I have physical games, so I don't use those, but it does seem confusing.

Transfer went fine for me - it just wanted to download the massive amounts of digital games that I have...which will definitely not fit on the internal memory. I spent some time cancelling out all of the downloads - so be aware if you have lots of digital games like me.

I figured it out with help from NL's transfer guide and the comments.

Phew! I'm glad that confusion is over. Good thing I don't have a lot of games. I pity those who do and do not want to transfer everything.

Ok, so…. I want to keep my OG Switch. I have a ton of games in it and I don’t have a memory card yet. So I don’t want to do a system transfer. BUT…. My OG Switch is my primary console. Am I going to have to “borrow” my games from my OG Switch every two weeks? Is there an easier way to do this for my intended purpose of keeping my OG Switch but using my Switch 2 primarily to play Switch 2 games?

Anybody know how many secondary consoles you can have?

I just realized since I am keeping my switch and my lite along side the switch 2 I have two secondary systems.

@Ryu_Niiyama your allowed to pair only one. You have to manually unpair to pair to another one.

@1UP_MARIO Thank you!

That's basically what the new virtual game cards do. Designate two consoles and which game is assigned to witch console and for that game, the corresponding console will be the primary one.

I declined the transfer at set-up on Thursday and made the decision to just keep the consoles separate. Not ready to send my Switch to the greener pastures just yet!

I noticed when i transferred botw it only lets me play on my original switch if i have the Virtual game card loaded on it. I was told if you transfer nothing is deleted from your original switch but apparently it is. The game is only playable on one or the other. Not both at the same time.

So yeah if i had the physical copy i guess it's possible but not if your game is digital only.

@Truegamer79
That's how virtual game cards work, they can only be on one system at a time. Your saves and game data doesn't move when you move your virtual game card between systems. What moves is the licence for the game. Nothing stopping you from moving the game back and forward between two linked systems

The only restrictions are:
1. Both systems have to have your account linked (obviously)
2. You can only link two systems at a time (the system transfer seems to link them automatically)
3. When you transfer the licence both systems have to be online

Honestly, I would still suggest people do the system transfer mostly because it's an easier thing to explain than having to explain all the nuances. Eg the fact that some games don't have cloud saves, that your screenshots don't transfer, the linking of systems for Virtual Game Cards, setting the primary console. The system transfer does all of those things for you (except the Animal Crossing Island transfer). Easier to just say "do a system transfer" then explain all of that. Also the system transfer will move all accounts, if you have more than one, which may be convenient

...... but you don't have to do a system transfer and you don't lose anything choosing to do a system transfer or not do one. Unless you select the "I won't be using the old console". I assume. I've never selected that option

As Skywake said, nothing was deleted and it takes basically 3 seconds to move the virtual game card license back and forth so pick which console you want each game to function on and you can always quickly swap later.

However, you can also change the settings and play on both consoles without even that short bother:

• Go to profile picture and then User Settings and scroll to "Online License Settings" and turn it on.

This lets you play digital games with an online check and skip anything related to virtual game cards. So the virtual game card can be on one of the two systems and you can still play the game on the second system as long as you have an internet connection.

Warning: you may have to be careful about save files if you do this method since both consoles will have the same save file at once; this is basically how it worked for people with 2 Switch 1s and if you weren't careful you could over-write some recent save data. Personally I always carefully backed up or redownloaded save files when I did it... which means it might be easier to just press the swap virtual game card button.

Note: Even with this trick you can't play them literally at the same time on both consoles unless you have one console connected to the Internet and the other one (with the virtual game card license) in Airplane mode. And if you do that you are basically guaranteed to mess up your save file because you are modifying it in two different ways at the same time.

Again, none of that has anything to do with transfer or no transfer, it's just how Nintendo deals with owning digital games and multiple consoles. It does make sense — press the virtual game card eject button from one console and near instantly move it to a different console is very similar to how physical game works.

@FishyS this is great. Thank you.
I have 2 personal switches and a switch 2.
Now all of them can play my digital games.