RainbowGazelle

Switch 2 version is a key card, Switch 1 version requires a download. Neither have the game on cartridge.

So it's only physical on Switch 1. Gotcha. Another win for Switch 1.

I'll be saving so much of my money, since many publishers have decided they don't want it anymore!

Of course keeping online games up indefinitely would be ridiculously expensive, I think the main point of the movement is to keep an offline portion available to players who paid for their content, so they can access that as long as they like. Game developers managed to make offline games for 40 years. Why is it such an impossibility now?

Impressions are everything, and ever since the Switch 2 reveal direct, Nintendo have given an extremely anti-consumer, nickel-and-diming impression. At present, I'm not interested in buying a Switch 2 because of this.

Here's a link to the European store, since Nlife could only be bothered to link the US one: https://shop.clearrivergames.com/products/lunar-remastered-collection-althenas-treasure-box-no-game

There's usually some kind of daft flaw in Nintendo's own eShop games.

"Outright Games"

Oh well, nothing to see here.

I'd rather they use the slots for Sega IP, like in All-Stars Racing Transformed. Why can't they do that again?

I'm not surprised. Publishers want to have their cake and eat it. The key cards are supposed to make games cheaper, but they still cost the same or even more than Switch 1 releases which have the full game on cartridge. Plus, most of the current releases are older titles, available much cheaper on other platforms. And Nintendo want £75 for Mario Kart. People aren't made of money, so they've chosen the new Nintendo game only.

@Jeronan I must confess, I assumed if you stopped paying, you'd just lose them. I use the 1 free box, but can't imagine paying to store bytes of data, when you 15gb free with a google account.

The carbon engine typically runs games pretty poorly. I'll probably stick to the virtual releases on PS3 and Vita for now. Might look at some footage online of this collection after it's patched and on sale.

Paying for Home is a scam. Pokemon games don't support cloud saves because they know it's a big enough franchise to get away with charging people extra just for its save data. People telling this guy that he should have paid money incase Nintendo's proper transfer process didn't work, are just seriously unaware they're being scammed.

In other news scientists are recording water as a liquid.

Feels just like being a Wii U owner and having Nintendo put out low-effort ports on Switch for full price. But that was fine, apparently.

@Suketoudara There's a Minecraft racetrack in the trailer, so it's at least not just characters for Minecraft.

Of course they are. They pay even less to produce a game, while charging customers more and making them foot the bill for storage costs. And the worst thing is that many people will not care, or actively defend getting less value for their money. It's insane.

Hopefully there's only a few of these and it's mostly characters from other Sega franchises.

@sikthvash I'll admit my main problem is how much of it is digital-only. I was only counting physical games, which is obviously disingenuous, but I absolutely hate the huge shift towards digital-only gaming for this console. I appreciate the list though; thanks for that. I just don't see myself buying a Switch 2 with the price increases and move towards digital-only.

@Smithicus Exactly my thoughts too. Switch 2 has one exclusive, two ports/cross-gen, and a load of key card trash. It's the worst launch lineup I've ever seen for a console.

Get bought by EA, get closed down. It's what they do to every developer they touch. I expected as much when they bought Codemasters. So sad to see.

@TheExile285 Something will replace it if we stop using it. Companies will always find a way to advertise.

Lol. Pay to "upgrade" for basic stuff like improved framerate. That should come as standard for shelling out for the more powerful console.

Also, shame we're still using Xitter for news. Using it is supporting a terrible person.

It's wild that the Switch 2 is launching with one exclusive, physical game. Probably the worst console launch in history.

Will their standard retail releases be available in other retailers, or only from their website?
And why are they ESRB-rated covers when it's a UK-based company ?
(actually, we all know why)

Still, excited for the game though!

Can't say I've ever had the inclination to try an energy drink. It's a shame all these companies and Nlife are still using Xitter too. I thought we'd want to rally against the ownership.

Pretty cool, but expensive. I'm happy that Thank Goodness You're Here is getting a physical release. I'll grab the standard retail edition. Do we know when they'll release yet?

So it's fine everywhere except America, but your headline and article panders just to American readers, as usual.

Yep, a benefit for the poor, struggling (definitely not multi-billion dollar) companies. But with costs passed onto the customer instead.

I've still loads of games in the backlog on Switch and PS4. No need to buy the awful-looking Switch 2 or PS5.

*Number. Not amount.

I'll wait for the proper retail release here in Europe again. Hopefully it'll be out soon.

Each of the 3 console manufacturers have taken it in turns over the last few years to show exactly how little they care for their dedicated customers. To me, they're literally screaming at us to not buy their products if we don't want ripped off. So I won't. Switch and PS4 are my last consoles from Nintendo and Sony (I've never bothered with Xbox). I've bought plenty of games in the last decade or so to keep me going for good.

@TanukiSan7x

1. Key cards are better than the code in a box rubbish, but still far worse than actual physical releases.

2. Nintendo is seemingly allowing for their bad behavior by even offering key cards to them. Although you're right, the 3rd parties are even scummier. I never said otherwise.

3+4. Put simply, key cards are yet another way for publishers to pass costs onto the customer. Couple this with the cost of the new express cards (and the Switch's laughably small internal memory), and it's a double blow to customers. Add to that the increase in first party game prices and accessories, and it's all far too much to justify.

I'm not saying I have a solution, but simply from my customer standpoint, I'm being offered worse quality for a higher price. And I refuse to accept that.

The first couple of paragraphs are just completely false. Contrary to what this article would imply, most PlayStation discs (at least on PS4) still contain a fully playable game on them, with the usual patches updating it. And there's a big difference between installing the games onto the hard drive from the disc, versus downloading the the whole thing onto the Switch from the servers. At some point in the future, the key cards will no longer function at all. My PS4 discs will still.

@michellelynn0976 I'm not trying to be rude, but as a customer, I'm not interested in what the specifics of Nintendo's pay scheme is.
What I know is that these companies usually pay their higher ups ridiculous amounts (Nintendo being an exception), whilst upping the prices of their games, but including less content at launch, and (in Microsoft's and Sony's case) throwing in copious numbers of microtransactions. Nintendo, instead, never put their games on sale and will be objectively offering customers a worse deal than before with their key card nonsense, meanwhile Microsoft and Sony are similarly reducing quality across their services, whilst upping prices, and trying to force digital gaming to gain even more profits and control.
For me, enough is enough. I'm not being milked by these greedy companies any longer.

Perfect time to get out of buying new games, as all 3 companies attempt to drain as much money from their customers as possible. Gotta get those CEOs another yacht!

It's also missing 3D, AR cards, and Street Pass. And a proper cartridge. Stick with the superior 3DS release.

I'm not paying £17 for each amiibo. £68 for the set is just too much. Nintendo are now completely pricing themselves out of my range on everything. Definitely not getting a Switch 2 either.

And Capcom should be ashamed for their amiibo at £25 each! That's shocking!!

The Switch 2 is officially DOA for me now. Just stupendously greedy and arrogant from Nintendo and all these third parties.

My local Game is finally shutting down this month. I'm surprised it lasted this long.

@Ogbert "The games that use this are not the games that were going to get a "full game" on cart release anyway."

Poor Square Enix, Konami, and Capcom. This being the only way they can afford to put their games on cartridges must suck for them. Tiny indies that they are.

Look, I get that it helps indies put games on cartridges, but big publishers will take advantage of this too, and it's ridiculous.

"but you'll also be able to lend it out or even sell it if needed; something you certainly couldn't do with code-in-a-box releases."

Something you can already do with proper, physical games. But now you have to make sapce on your console's memory to store the game, so publishers can save some more money. There is literally not a single benefit of these key cards. They exist SOLELY to pass costs on to the consumer. And frankly, enough is enough. Anyone who can't see that they're being taken advantage of by greedy scumbags needs help.

@GADG3Tx87 Fair! My PS3 is the same: set up, but gathering dust at the mo.

Enjoy paying £75 for it. I'll stick to the brilliant Wii U version.

The Wii U was the best by a mile. A few cool new games, and ports with new Wii U specific features. Definitely not "a bit naff", like you said dismissively.

Publishers pass every possible cost onto the customer that they can. It was bad enough with codes in boxes and cartridges requiring downloads. This key card rubbish just allows them to be even worse.

Nintendo are nickel and diming everywhere they can. As it stands, I have absolutely no interest in this ripoff console. Too expensive, nothing new and interesting.

I'll stick with the superior version on the superior console.