The pricing might have made sense if it was a real cart. It makes no sense that the Switch 2 version is "beneficially" more expensive than all other versions while NISA cheapens out.
When the game was delayed to June, I jokingly questioned whether we would get the Switch 2 announcement, Metroid Prime 4, or this first. Now, after a total of 9 delays, I might just have the answer.
I already got the original version on PC, so I'll be waiting for the new version to be released there, as well. Maybe we'll also get the same upgrade option that Asian users will be receiving on Steam.
Nintendo shutting down any opportunity to save money? Must be a day ending in y. First, the gold coins, now the vouchers. What's next? Increasing the price of NSO worldwide? Reducing their digital discounts to 10%? Increasing the price of Switch 1 games on the e-shop?
Setting up the stage to normalize AI usage. Don't worry, AI will be used tastefully, with tact. You will be tastefully replaced. Skynet will be tastefully activated.
@gcunit
Final Fantasy Tactics is not the same game as Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. As for a physical release, it will get one worldwide for PS5 and Switch on 30th September.
We have a ton of game-key cards and even three code-in-a-box games before the Switch 2 is even out. If publishers are opting out of physical that early, it's only going to get worse.
Breath of the Wild sold more than Tears of the Kingdom in this quarter. Not by much, mind you, but it's interesting how the latter barely had any legs compared to the former.
"Still, it's a neat little extra for Switch 2 owners, though we daresay players would love to see the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion instead. We'll just have to wait and see if FromSoftware launches it via separate DLC later down the line."
Huh? I'm pretty sure the expansion is already included. From the trailer's description:
"Rise, Tarnished. The critically acclaimed dark-fantasy action RPG ELDEN RING: Tarnished Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 this year – including the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion, new armour, and a new Torrent appearance customisation feature."
Hardly a surprise. Not only are game-key cards prevalent on the Switch 2 (in fact I would consider the opposite newsworthy), but this is also one of the games that had a mandatory day-one patch on Playstation 5.
@-wc- "does it justify two significant price hikes in as many years?" Of course it does. Nintendo is a small indie company. Please understand, if they can't resell you 10+ years-old-games at full price, they'll go bankrupt.
Not a single one. If my only choices are digital or digital without the convenience, I'll go full digital on PC. At least there, I have access to better performance and mods.
"Even when a cartridge does contain data on day one of release, games are so often patched, updated and expanded through downloads that the cart very often loses its connection to the game, and functions more like a physical copy protection dongle for a digital object."
Lol no. The basic version of Super Mario Odyssey is not drastically different than the last. Neither is Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Party Superstars, Astral Chain, etc. A game patched might be a better game, but let's not kid ourselves in believing that patching outright transforms a game. Not every game is No Man's Sky, Stardew Valley or Terraria.
And on the flip side, if the first version is THAT different, then that's a bonus, because you have access to a different build that a digital-only version will never provide (you will be instead stuck only with the latest build).
Comments 222
Re: Review: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (Switch) - A Gorgeous & Gory Return To The Series' 2D Roots
A 2D game made by the Blasphemous team (that runs on 60 FPS) cannot even reach 30 FPS. Nah, miss me with that. I'll buy it on PC.
Re: Hands On: Forget The Name, Square Enix's New Action RPG Is A Lovely HD-2D Take On SNES-Era Zelda
The title is whack and the game looks boring. If you had told me this was a parody of Square Enix's HD-2D games, I would have believed you.
Re: NIS America: Trails Beyond The Horizon Switch 2 Game-Key Card Release Is "Most Beneficial Option" For Fans
The pricing might have made sense if it was a real cart. It makes no sense that the Switch 2 version is "beneficially" more expensive than all other versions while NISA cheapens out.
Re: Sony Acquires 2.5% Stake In Bandai Namco As Part Of New "Strategic Partnership"
"almost half-a-billion dollars"
"2.5% stake"
All this money for a single digit stake.
Re: Random: Don't Worry Folks, Nintendo Says Mario And Peach Are Just "Good Friends"
LOL friendzoned. Poor Mario just can't catch a break.
Re: Prominent YouTuber Doubles Down On Belief That A Nintendo Direct Is Due This Month
Nintendo Directs usually occur shortly after a big release. Now that it's been a week since Donkey Kong, it's as good a time as any.
Re: Ubisoft's Yves Guillemot Is Hopeful That Upcoming Switch 2 Port Can Revive Star Wars Outlaws
Ubisoft blaming everything but themselves.
Re: Level-5 Delays Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road For Switch And Switch 2
Inazuma Eleven Forever.
When the game was delayed to June, I jokingly questioned whether we would get the Switch 2 announcement, Metroid Prime 4, or this first. Now, after a total of 9 delays, I might just have the answer.
Re: 8BitDo's 'Pro 3' Controller Boasts Magnetic ABXY Buttons And A Charging Dock
"Extra bumpers (R4 and L4)"
L4 and R4? Where are they located?
Oh.
Re: Nintendo Is Seeking Player Feedback On Game-Key Cards In Japan
"Do you want digital or digital?"
What a difficult dilemma. Truly, Nintendo has us spoiled for choices.
Re: Ys X: Proud Nordics Reportedly Includes 120fps Performance Mode On Switch 2
@fenlix
I never said it was a free upgrade. With any luck, it should still be cheaper than paying for the whole game again.
Re: Ys X: Proud Nordics Reportedly Includes 120fps Performance Mode On Switch 2
I already got the original version on PC, so I'll be waiting for the new version to be released there, as well. Maybe we'll also get the same upgrade option that Asian users will be receiving on Steam.
Re: Nintendo Will Discontinue Switch Game Vouchers Entirely In 2026
Nintendo shutting down any opportunity to save money? Must be a day ending in y. First, the gold coins, now the vouchers. What's next? Increasing the price of NSO worldwide? Reducing their digital discounts to 10%? Increasing the price of Switch 1 games on the e-shop?
Re: "That's Some Real Coward S***" - Hideki Kamiya Discusses The Fallout From The Bayonetta 3 Voiceover Controversy
@JokerCK
Make sure to pay your proper respects to Kamiya-sama.
Re: "That's Some Real Coward S***" - Hideki Kamiya Discusses The Fallout From The Bayonetta 3 Voiceover Controversy
Dude who called people insects frustrated that people piled up on him and didn't return to apologize (unrealistic expectations).
Re: "It Will Have A Chilling Effect On Game Design" - EU Group Responds To 'Stop Killing Games'
Please spare a thought for these struggling, small indie companies.
Re: Microsoft Announces Second Wave Of Layoffs, Over 9,000 Jobs Affected
"Over 9000"
Oh nonono...
Re: Nintendo Reportedly Pulled Amazon US' Switch 2 Sales After Beef Over "Unauthorised" Sellers
"a person familiar with the situation"
Good old uncle at Nintendo.
Re: Worms Armageddon On Switch Is Slowly Becoming The Ultimate Series Celebration
Re: Fans Reckon Nintendo Has "Killed" Mario Kart World With Its Latest Update
"What? You dare not enjoy our gimmick?! To the highway with you!"
Nintendo, probably.
Re: Level-5 CEO Sees AI As 'Tool For Communication And Efficiency Improvement'
Setting up the stage to normalize AI usage. Don't worry, AI will be used tastefully, with tact. You will be tastefully replaced. Skynet will be tastefully activated.
Re: Former Nintendo Execs Fear We Might Be Waiting A While For A 3D Mario On Switch 2, Thanks To Donkey Kong
Do they forget/hope you forget that EPD is not a single team? They have a whooping 10 divisions.
Re: Third-Party Launch Games On Switch 2 Reportedly Sold "Very Low Numbers"
Expensive ports of old games (Yakuza 0 for 50, give me a break!) sold on fake carts underperform? Who would have thought?
Re: Trails Beyond The Horizon Slips To Early 2026, But It's Also Coming To Switch 2
"Be game-key card"
"Be more expensive than a real cart"
Re: Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster Controversially Cuts War Of The Lions Content
So, modded PSP version remains the superior way to play. Duly noted.
Re: Capcom Is Recording Switch 2 Game-Key Card Purchases As "Digital Sales"
I mean, duh, they are glorified downloads. Just like the last physical PC games were nothing more than glorified Steam keys.
Re: Mini Review: Sonic X Shadow Generations (Switch 2) - Definitely Improved, But SEGA's Shafting Early Adopters
So, unaddressed elephant in the room; does the Switch 1 version benefit at all from being run on Switch 2?
Re: Review: Yakuza 0: Director's Cut (Switch 2) - A Series Highlight That's Never Looked Or Played Better
"it's really not good, with Kiryu being particularly terrible"
Yong out!
Re: Final Fantasy Tactics Physical Switch Release Has A Free Switch 2 Upgrade
@gcunit
Final Fantasy Tactics is not the same game as Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. As for a physical release, it will get one worldwide for PS5 and Switch on 30th September.
Re: Final Fantasy Tactics Physical Switch Release Has A Free Switch 2 Upgrade
Correction: The Switch 2 version is not a game-key card, but a code-in-a-box. Yes, it's that bad.
Re: Publishers Are "Thanking" Nintendo For Game-Key Cards On Switch 2
Of course they would thank them. They, not the customers, are the intended audience, after all. ^_^
Re: Review: STEAM-HEART'S Saturn Tribute (Switch) - A Disappointing Return For A Notoriously Saucy Shooter
"No translation".
Asking 20 bucks for a port of a 27-years-old port of a 31-years-old game and not even doing the bare minimum should be illegal.
Re: Random: Xenoblade Chronicles X Pops Up On Microsoft PC Game Page
Would be pretty funny if it referred to emulated versions of the game.
Re: Randy Pitchford Defends Borderlands 4 Pricing Comment
Randy Pitchford's 80-bucks-game pitch is in a pinch.
Re: "If You're A Real Fan, You'll Find A Way" - Borderlands 4 Dev Gives Tone Deaf Response To Price Concerns
A real fan doesn't buy games, it just creates airflows.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Ghosting Switch 1 To Save Yourself For Switch 2?
Since I'm not getting a Switch 2 anytime soon, nothing has changed on my part.
Re: 'The Hundred Line' Dev Too Kyo Games Is Still "On The Brink Of Going Under"
In more dire news for Too Kyo Games, their other recently-released game, Tribe Nine, will have its service terminated this November.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2376580/view/500572747038983820
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed
12 GBs RAM while the 3-years-old Steam Deck has 16 GBs? Lame.
Re: Rumour: New Leak May Explain Why So Many Switch 2 Physicals Are Game Key Cards
We have a ton of game-key cards and even three code-in-a-box games before the Switch 2 is even out. If publishers are opting out of physical that early, it's only going to get worse.
Re: Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation
"Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part."
This console will self-destruct in 5 seconds.
Re: Here Are The Top Ten Best-Selling Nintendo Switch Games As Of March 2025
Breath of the Wild sold more than Tears of the Kingdom in this quarter. Not by much, mind you, but it's interesting how the latter barely had any legs compared to the former.
Re: Former Rockstar Dev Throws Shade At Mario Kart World, Says New GTA Will Be Worth The Price
Spoiler Alert: None will be worth however much is being asked.
Re: Full Game List Revealed For Atari's Upcoming Bubsy Collection
"Bubsy Purrfect Collection"
"Doesn't actually include all Bubsy games"
Claws, so claws...
Re: Elden Ring On Switch 2 Will Introduce Two Brand New Character Classes
"Still, it's a neat little extra for Switch 2 owners, though we daresay players would love to see the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion instead. We'll just have to wait and see if FromSoftware launches it via separate DLC later down the line."
Huh? I'm pretty sure the expansion is already included. From the trailer's description:
"Rise, Tarnished. The critically acclaimed dark-fantasy action RPG ELDEN RING: Tarnished Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 this year – including the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion, new armour, and a new Torrent appearance customisation feature."
Re: Ubisoft's Switch 2 Physical Release Of Star Wars Outlaws Is A "Game-Key Card"
Hardly a surprise. Not only are game-key cards prevalent on the Switch 2 (in fact I would consider the opposite newsworthy), but this is also one of the games that had a mandatory day-one patch on Playstation 5.
Re: Shuhei Yoshida On Higher Switch 2 Game Prices: "It Was Going To Happen Eventually"
@-wc-
"does it justify two significant price hikes in as many years?"
Of course it does. Nintendo is a small indie company. Please understand, if they can't resell you 10+ years-old-games at full price, they'll go bankrupt.
Re: Talking Point: Will You Be Buying Any Game-Key Card Switch 2 Games?
Not a single one. If my only choices are digital or digital without the convenience, I'll go full digital on PC. At least there, I have access to better performance and mods.
Re: Xbox Is Raising The Price Of Consoles, Accessories, And Games Worldwide
"However, it's noted that incoming titles such as DOOM: The Dark Ages will not be affected."
Doom: The Dark Ages already costs €80 on Steam. How much more were you going to charge for it, Micro$oft?
Re: Nightdive Studios' CEO Says That Game-Key Cards On Switch 2 Is "Disheartening"
"Even when a cartridge does contain data on day one of release, games are so often patched, updated and expanded through downloads that the cart very often loses its connection to the game, and functions more like a physical copy protection dongle for a digital object."
Lol no. The basic version of Super Mario Odyssey is not drastically different than the last. Neither is Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Party Superstars, Astral Chain, etc. A game patched might be a better game, but let's not kid ourselves in believing that patching outright transforms a game. Not every game is No Man's Sky, Stardew Valley or Terraria.
And on the flip side, if the first version is THAT different, then that's a bonus, because you have access to a different build that a digital-only version will never provide (you will be instead stuck only with the latest build).
Re: Limited Run's Atlus Switch 2 Collector's Edition Is A 'Game-Key Card' Release
*PC Collector’s Edition includes digital Steam Code
*Switch 2 Collector’s Edition comes with Game Key Card
I'm not saying I called it...

... oh wait, I did.