Which Up Coming Physical Switch 2 Titles Are On The Actual Cartridge?

The Nintendo Switch 2 is not the only new hardware Nintendo has cooked up, the latest and controversial option, Game-Key Cards, are launching with the Nintendo Switch 2. This has many wondering if the future of third-party physical games on Nintendo hardware is in jeopardy. Based on the list we've rummaged together below, it’s not looking so good in that regard. Keep in mind that our list only includes physical games confirmed for a North American release.

Game Card

1. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition [06/05/25] [$70]
2. Mario Kart World [06/05/25] [$80]
3. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma [06/05/25] [$70]
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition [06/05/25] [$70]
5. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition [06/05/25] [$80]
6. Donkey Kong Bananza [07/17/25] [$70]
7. Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition [07/24/25] [$80]
8. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar [08/27/25] [$60]
9. Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition [08/28/25] [$80]
10. Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion [09/05/25] [$70]
11. Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition [10/16/25] [$70]
12. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment [2025]
13. Kirby Air Riders [2025]
14. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond [2025]

Game-Key Card

1. Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster [06/05/25] [$40]
2. Hitman World of Assassination - Signature Edition [06/05/25] [$60]
3. Hogwarts Legacy [06/05/25] [$60]
4. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S [06/05/25] [$40]
5. Sonic x Shadow Generations [06/05/25] [$50]
6. Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition [06/05/25] [$60]
7. Yakuza 0 Director's Cut [06/05/25] [$50]
8. RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army [06/19/25] [$50]
9. No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition [07/25/25] [$50]
10. Madden NFL 26 [08/14/25] [$70]
11. Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition [09/04/25] [$60]
12. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake [10/30/25] [$60]

Digital Code

1. Sid Meier's Civilization VII [06/05/25] [$70]
2. Split Fiction [06/05/25] [$50]

Unknown

1. Wild Hearts S [07/25/25]
2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 [Summer 2025]
3. Borderlands 4 [2025]
4. Yooka-Replaylee [2025]

Analyzing Physical Games

Overall, the first-party outlook for this year is looking solid when it comes to games releasing complete on a Game Card and that’s to be expected since Nintendo has confirmed they will not release first-party games on Game-Key Cards. Third-party developers on the other hand don’t seem to have the same sentiment as based on our findings so far, only 4 out of 18 announced games are getting the premium Game Card treatment. The four games receiving the Game Card treatment include Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion.

Another way to look at this data is by narrowing it down to the launch lineup. Out of eleven games at launch, only two will be available on a Game Card while seven will be released on Game-Key Cards and the final two will be released with no Game Card at all, instead, they will include a digital download code in the case. The only confirmed digital games releasing at retail in physical cases are Sid Meier's Civilization VII and Split Fiction. Priced at $70, Civilization VII is the most questionable game on the list, opting to forgo any form of Game Card entirely.

Why Game-Keys seem so popular by third parties can be explained by two simple theories. Based on the information from industry analysts, Nintendo Switch 2 Game Cards are very expensive due to the increased speed requirements. The other theory involves how short of a time frame Nintendo has allowed third-party developers to access development kits. Developers need to have their game certified months in advance to produce physical copies but due to such a short development cycle, many did not have enough time to create a complete build. This argument could be valid since Game-Key Cards allow developers to essentially sell you digital games in physical format. Meaning, that if a game was not ready for prime time, the physical case and Game-Key Card could be produced before the project was even close to finishing.

Final Thoughts

While many collectors are upset over the situation, and I would never personally purchase a Game-Key Card release at full price, the new format does allow for smaller developers to gain access to retail shelves without having to opt for a digital code. Of course, the amount of large third parties opting for Game-Keys does have me concerned and hopefully, their choice was due to the short amount of time they had to get their games out for launch. Yakuza 0 Director's Cut would have been a day one buy from me if it wasn’t a Game-Key Card release but now it will come at a much later point, possibly on a different console as well. I’m sure it’s not the end of the world though because as long as Nintendo keeps producing its first-party games on Game Cards, that’s what the majority buy on Nintendo consoles regardless.