Nintendo's NEW Problem — Game Cards Are ALREADY Too Slow?

Nintendo's NEW Problem — Game Cards Are ALREADY Too Slow?
Star Wars Outlaws has made headlines for choosing Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Cards over traditional cartridges, and the reason is surprising. Ubisoft’s open-world Star Wars adventure requires faster read speeds than standard Switch 2 cartridges can deliver, meaning the physical game cards would actually slow down performance. To avoid bottlenecks, Ubisoft and other third-party developers are turning to Game Key Cards as a workaround, sparking fresh debate about Nintendo’s controversial new format.

For most Nintendo Switch 2 titles, cartridge speed isn’t an issue — the games simply don’t push the hardware hard enough to expose any real weakness. But when you’re building a massive open-world game like Star Wars Outlaws — designed originally with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in mind — data streaming speed becomes critical. Those systems rely on ultra-fast SSDs, and while the Switch 2’s internal storage can compete decently, its physical cartridges are far slower. That gap makes the difference between smooth loading and frustrating stutters.

Normally, Nintendo’s Game Key Cards have been slammed by players as anti-consumer. They require an internet connection and don’t contain the full game, which kills collectability and raises concerns about game preservation. But in this rare case, developers are preferring the format. For Star Wars Outlaws, using a Game Key Card ensures that players can download the full version directly onto the Switch 2’s faster internal storage, sidestepping the cartridge speed bottleneck entirely. It’s one of the few situations where the controversial system is actually being seen in a positive light.

This twist comes at a heated moment: Nintendo’s Game Key Cards were just ruled unarchivable in Japan, meaning they can’t be preserved by Japan's National Diet Library. That decision fueled even more backlash, with critics calling it the “death of physical media” on the Switch 2. Yet Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws is showing that, for certain next-gen experiences, the unpopular format might ironically be the only way to deliver the game at a playable standard. Nintendo, Ubisoft, and the Switch 2 community now find themselves caught between preservation fears and performance needs — and the debate is only growing louder. #Nintendo #Switch2 #GamingNews

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Sources:
John Linneman (Digital Foundry) BlueSky Thread
https://bsky.app/profile/dark1x.bsky....

Nintendo Patents Watch Thread
https://bsky.app/profile/ninpatentswa...

Loading Speed Test: SD Express vs. Internal Storage vs. Game Card (Nintendo Switch 2)
   • Loading Speed Test: SD Express vs. Interna...  

Nintendo Switch 2 game-key cards not eligible for preservation by Japan’s National Diet Library, officials say
https://automaton-media.com/en/news/n...

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:58 Real Game Cards TOO SLOW
7:58 Nintendo BLOCKS The Solution
13:15 Japan Won't Preserve Game Key Cards

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