In a move that completely changes the way digital games are distributed, Nintendo has officially introduced the "Virtual Game Cards" system at the recent Nintendo Direct event. This is considered the company's biggest breakthrough in narrowing the gap between physical and digital games since the launch of the Nintendo Switch.
According to an announcement from Nintendo, starting in May 2024, all digital games purchased on the Nintendo eShop will no longer be downloaded directly as before. Instead, players will receive "Virtual Game Cards" - a completely new concept that simulates the use of physical cartridges but in digital form.
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said:
With Virtual Game Cards, we want to bring a sense of physical ownership to digital games. Players can manage their game collections just like they would with real cartridges.
The way the new system works is simple but revolutionary. Instead of being locked into a single Nintendo account, digital games can now be “taken out” of one Switch and “put into” another via a software interface. For security, the first time you share a game between two consoles must be done over a local connection, but subsequent times can be done over a regular internet connection.
In particular, Nintendo has also extended this feature to Family Group accounts. Each member of the group can lend a digital game for up to 14 days. After this period, the game will automatically "return" to the original owner's server. Notably, all save data will be preserved during this process.
However, the new system also has some limitations. Users cannot play the same game on multiple consoles at the same time, and each account can only share one game at a time within a family group. Nintendo also requires periodic internet connections to verify copyright and synchronize data.
According to technology experts, this move by Nintendo is not only to improve the user experience but also an important preparation step for the next generation of consoles - Nintendo Switch 2, expected to launch later this year. The Virtual Game Card feature will be integrated into the new console right from its release.
With the launch of Virtual Game Cards, Nintendo once again affirms its pioneering position in innovating the way digital content is distributed, opening a new era for the console gaming industry. This feature is expected to be officially deployed to the entire Nintendo Switch system next April.
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