In an age where physical sales of games have declined to the point that major platforms like PlayStation have abandoned physical media, Nintendo comes out swinging with a new data point: according to IGN, 38.5% of Nintendo’s software sales remain physical.
Nintendo’s approach to physical releases for the year‑old Switch 2 has faced criticism from players and journalists due to the limited number of storage options available to developers and publishers. At launch, Nintendo offered 64GB flash cartridges, with a rumored rollout of 16GB and 32GB carts potentially coming in the future. The other option available to developers is a Game Key Card, which acts as a physical piece of DRM that allows owners to download the specific game when the card is inserted.
Games released completely on cartridge for the Nintendo Switch 2 are few and far between. These games include:
Cyberpunk 2077 Oblivion Remastered Splatoon Raiders Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave And others
Sony recently announced that they will end production of physical media for the PlayStation 5 in January 2028. This move has been met with widespread backlash, as it would significantly harm physical preservation, the second‑hand market, and overall accessibility—placing gaming entirely on Sony’s terms.
Microsoft recently laid off thousands of employees and spun off multiple studios in an attempt to “reset” the struggling Xbox brand. As the ninth‑generation Xbox Series X and S have failed to capture significant market share, the division has seen multiple rounds of layoffs, including May 2024 with the closure of Tango Gameworks, July 2025 with 9,000 employees laid off, and the most recent round, which saw studios like Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs go independent.
With Nintendo being the first to launch tenth‑generation hardware with the Switch 2, both Sony and Microsoft have confirmed they are working on new systems despite the rising cost of components driven by the expansion of AI data centers.
Microsoft’s Project Helix will be their entry into the next generation, taking a new approach that combines Windows PC gaming with the traditional Xbox ecosystem. Rumors of prices exceeding $1,000 USD are common on sites like Reddit and among industry analysts.
Are you collecting physical Switch 2 games?
Sources: IGN PlayStation Blog