In the lead up to the launch of the hotly anticipated Switch 2, Nintendo have been dropping little nuggets of info here and there about their new console. The latest? An announcement on all things ‘Virtual Game Cards’. This handy little system is going to completely change how you manage your digital games. Oh, and when it comes to lending or borrowing titles, it’s going to totally switch things up.
It’s not just all about the hardware either. Nintendo announced the feature alongside a huge batch of upcoming Switch games in 2025. It looks like there’s going to be a ton of epic quests for us to get stuck into this year and beyond.
How do Nintendo’s Virtual Game Cards work?
Right, how do Virtual Game Cards work then? Luckily, it seems pretty straightforward.
Think of it like this. In the same way you’d move a physical Switch cartridge from one console to another, you’re just doing it with the digital version instead. In a nutshell, it’s no different from handing a game over to your buddy to borrow for the weekend.
With a Virtual Game Card, you’ll ‘eject’ a digital title from one system and ‘load’ it up on another. So, if you’ve got The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – and your mate wants to give it a go before buying a copy – they can do exactly that. And if you want to take their version of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for a quick spin, that’s possible too.
Think before you lend though. You won’t be able to play an ejected game on the original console while it’s being used elsewhere. Meaning it’s worth polishing off those remaining side missions before you hand over the keys to your copy.
There’s not long to wait for it to roll out. You’ll be able to try Virtual Game Cards for the first time via a hardware system update later this April. And it’s not only reserved for the Switch 2. Any of you original Switch owners will still be able to make full use of it as well. Very nice.
Loading on a second Nintendo Switch console
These Virtual Game Cards are also going to make upgrading to the Switch 2 nice and easy. Let’s say you’ve got the Switch OLED. It’s probably got a few digital games on it right? They won’t be stuck there from what we can tell. Eject them from your old console, load em’ up on the Switch 2, and you can pick right up from where you left off.
Make sure you’ve got a solid local internet connection while you’re ejecting and loading your games. Otherwise, they wont work, and you won’t be able to play them until that’s sorted.
In better news though, you won’t need any internet at all once you’ve done this the first time round. Later game shares won’t even need the two consoles to be near each other either. Which is especially handy when one’s upstairs, and you’re already settled in for a gaming sesh on the sofa.
Lending to family group members
To lend out your Virtual Game Cards, there’s a bit of housekeeping to do first. You’ll need to create a ‘Family Group’ using your Nintendo account and connect to your Wi-Fi. And if everyone in the family wants to get in on the action, they can. You’ll be able to link up to 8 different accounts together in the one group, and swap games to your heart’s content - letting everyone borrow and play titles on their own console.
It’s worth saying that there are a few restrictions here. You’ll only be able to lend one game at a time. And it can only be lent for up to two weeks before it gets automatically returned to your library. But if your sister, partner or dad is really enjoying the game, there’s nothing to stop you lending it straight back.
Nintendo Direct – 02/04/2025
The Nintendo news doesn’t stop there. The next Nintendo Direct stream is right around the corner. And we’re expecting to find out loads more about the Switch 2. Our fingers (and toes) are crossed for a release date!
We’ll have all the latest news from the event right here on TechTalk. So, make sure to drop back in over the next few days for all of the juicy details.
Need something to play?
Now we know how we’ll be managing our digital game library on Switch 2. But that doesn’t mean the original Switch and its physical games are old hat. The new console will still be backwards compatible. Find a new adventure from the carousel below, and stock up on some top titles before you grab Nintendo’s latest.
