Nintendo has announced that a Nintendo Switch system update in late April 2025 will add a new Virtual Game Card feature, which is hoped will add “some of the flexibility of physical game cards to your digital game library.”
The feature, which will also work with Nintendo Switch 2 at launch, is likened to moving a physical game card from one Nintendo Switch console to another. You will “eject” a purchased digital game from one Nintendo Switch to then “load” it on another – whether it belongs to a member of the same Nintendo Account family group or it is a second console tied to your account.
“If you have two different systems linked to the same Nintendo Account, you can choose which system to play it on—just like with a physical game card. Simply eject the virtual game card from one system and load it onto the other,” Nintendo explains.
“Once a virtual game card is loaded to a system, not only can you play it without an internet connection, but other user accounts on the system can play, too. You can also manage and load virtual game cards via your Nintendo Account on the Nintendo website.”
The feature will work differently within a Nintendo Account family group: “You can also lend out virtual game cards to your Nintendo Account family group members. Just connect to your family group member’s system via local wireless when you want to lend a game. Both systems must also be connected to the internet.
“You can lend one game per account for 14 days (unless the borrower returns it earlier). After the game is returned the borrower will still have their save data, so they’ll be able to start where they left off if they borrow again or purchase the game.”
Nintendo Switch Virtual Game Cards Trailer
