Nintendo's New Feature

Nintendo has revealed 'Virtual Game Cards,' which will enable players to share games or play across multiple systems. This feature is designed to mimic the flexibility of physical games and is set to launch in late April.

Virtual Game Cards work by loading a virtual card onto the player's Switch after purchasing a digital version of a game. Players can then 'eject' these game cards and load them onto another system to play from that handheld, provided they have a local connection.

This feature could fundamentally alter the way digitally downloaded games are used, especially since digital copies have become increasingly popular as physical retailers have closed and physical copies have become less important to some players.

Implications and Potential Impact

Digital copies offer a fast and easy way to get new games with an internet connection, but the ownership of digital games is more ambiguous than with physical media. Companies can remove digital games from storefronts at any time, and there's no secondary market for collectors. It's also not possible to resell a digital game or loan it out without sharing account details.

Nintendo's Virtual Game Cards offer some flexibility in lending games to other players via a local connection in Family Groups, linking several Nintendo accounts. However, only one game can be shared between two people at a time for two weeks.

The production and sales of physical games media and consoles could be significantly impacted in the US if President Trump follows through with proposed tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico, where many video game components are made. Tariffs could increase prices and reduce availability for physical game products, making digital games more attractive to consumers.

Other Announcements and Future Plans

During the Nintendo Direct event, the company also teased Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which will give its heroine Samus mysterious new physics abilities. The game is expected this year, though a firm release date might be announced alongside the Switch 2 news next week.

Nintendo did not share any news about the Switch 2 during the event but has planned another Nintendo Direct focusing on the new console for April 2.