Devastating look. Tons of third party games opting for game-key cards instead of physical releases in Japan (pic via Gematsu). No ownership, no preservation, no customer choice. One can only hope that this will receive resounding backlash from players. Don't let this stand!

Apr 24, 2025 · 11:15 AM UTC

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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Absolutely pathetic. Won't support ANY of them
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Not interested in game-key cards I'll forever only buy game cards that contain the actual game itself in them And praise the companies that do not use this awful system
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Yup looks like I’ll stick to buying my physical games on PS5. I’ll probably get a switch 2 at the end of the gen and mod it.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
None will take over my boxes from switch1. All physical - fully playable from the get go! (Also, I won't buy switch2...)
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
We were finally getting a physical release for Kunitsu-Gami.... and its a fucking key cart
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Agree, absolutely disgusting to require any internet connection for the ability to play $60-$80 game
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I have already cancelled my plans to buy a Switch 2 in the near future, but we shouldn't give in the delusion that the system will not be a success sadly.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I agree with you, but, how are customers supposed to respond to this? If we buy them they will keep doing them. If we not they will not even do game key cards and just release it on the eShop. It is really a lose-lose situation
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Unfortunately, as we know the consumers will let it stand they have been speaking with their wallets for a long time, opting for convenience over preservation by buying all their games digital means this will be the norm
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Meanwhile, at LRG
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GIF
Replying to @DoesItPlay1
People lining up. Humanity is a failure. They yern for their corporate overlords. They will own nothing and be complacent. I would weep for them, but my tears ran dry years ago.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
People will still unfortunately eat it up, Nintendo will see this as successful and pursue full digital downloads at some point. People truly have given up everything for the price of convenience. This goes deeper than some think. Truly unfortunate future.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I knew this would happen because most third party companies are thinking more about spending less money on customer satisfaction and more about making as much money as possible
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I won't buy any Game Key Card, and I can't put into words how disappointed I am right now
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
A lot of these games wouldn't even have had a physical release at all if it wasn't for these and they are better than the redeemable codes at least you can resell them.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
how would you feel about it if nintendo allowed publishers to release smaller s2 games on s1-tier carts, with the caveat that they’d have to be installed (from the physical media) before being played?
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Milions are voting by their wallets right now and general public simply don't care. Which is sad of course.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Hate everything about it. I don't care about the fact that it's a "step up" from codes in a box. Give us *real* physical games.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
This is going to be a situation where people let it go because Nintendo is Nintendo. It'll be several years from now when Nintendo is moving onto their next console they'll likely shut the servers down for the Switch 2 key cards. Consumers will realize their mistake too late.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I'm skipping out on getting a switch 2. Theres so many awesome retro games I can get into
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
That moment when Playstation became the best option for physical games overnight (at least until PS6 💀)
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GIF
Replying to @DoesItPlay1
not purchasing the system until there's clearer indication how 3rd party developers will treat it past launch or Nintendo offers more cart sizes to accommodate smaller games. no it's not "better than a code in a box." most of these would've been real physical releases.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
You literally own game key cards, though. They’re not codes in boxes, they’re cartridges that need to download the rest of the game. You can use them on multiple systems, they’re not tied to one account. They can be resold and require the cartridge to play
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Somebody should start an anti game-key card movement
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I'm worried that No Sleep for Kaname Date's box art on USA websites don't have this game-key banner, but we know it's a game-key because spike said it was. Some people will be fooled because they didn't catch spike's description on their website.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Unfortunately, I doubt people will even read the package and will be completely unaware that it’s not a physical game. When the WiiU came out, people didn’t even know it was a new system 🙄
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Too many rolling over, accepting and even defending this because "it's better than a code." Sure, it is, but that's not the point.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
My interest is only in the full game on Cart which will be the switch 2 exclusives any 3rd party games ill just get on playstation if available if we want to let companies know that game key carts are not the answer then boycott them make the sales low on game key carts
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I’m hopeful that 1) 1st Party Nintendo games won’t fall victim to this, and 2) it’s only a launch window thing since AFAIK a lot of devs got their kits super late so they may not have had time to properly optimize for a physical cart
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
It's bad, but backlash could have 2 consequences (not mutually exclusive): - some editors will release full games on card going forward - some others will stick to digital releases going forward GKC are not great but I take that over full digital anyday.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
They want to normalize for us not owning games. They must get used for us not buying their games. Physical and working releases out of the box is a must! We don't ask for much.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Switch 3rd party is pretty much done for.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Definitely not buying a physical game that isn't even a physical game. If I wanted digital, i'd buy it online like I do with Steam.
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Some of these are Japan specific. Marvelous confirmed it's games are not game key games
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
Yeaaaaa i refuse to “buy” any of the games as soon as i see its a game-key. No thanks!!
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Replying to @DoesItPlay1
I hate that RGG studio went this route. I'd love to eventually have the whole series on a cart. Sad that it won't happen.
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