Criticized but Still Popular: Why Nearly 70% of Players Buy “Key Cards”

On January 30, Kotaku reported that despite the drawbacks of physical game cartridges and discs—slower loading speeds and inconvenient portability—many console and handheld fans continue to favor physical media. Whether for collection, preservation, resale convenience, or simply the reassurance of holding a tangible game, players still purchase physical copies in 2026.

The Nintendo Switch 2 introduced a new type of cartridge: the “Key Card.” Unlike traditional cartridges, Key Cards do not store game content; players must download the game after inserting the card. This design drew widespread criticism, with some claiming it isn’t “real” physical media—once Nintendo’s servers go offline, the cards become nothing more than plastic shells.

Nevertheless, sales remain strong. Data from the physical game platform Deku Deals shows that among 1,070 users collecting Switch 2 third-party games, 735 own one or more Key Cards—accounting for 75.8% of the user base.

Six Key Card games appear on the platform’s Switch 2 bestseller list:

• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
• Bravely Default FLYING FAIRY HD Remaster
• Hades II
• Rune Factory: Dragon’s World
• Star Wars Outlaws
• Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut

It’s worth noting that most third-party Switch 2 games are inherently Key Cards. Additionally, rumors suggest Nintendo initially provided only 64GB physical cartridges to third-party developers, increasing costs for smaller games and encouraging adoption of Key Cards.