Today's Nintendo Direct announcement of a new Virtual Game Cards feature for sharing games between systems has sparked both surprise and curiosity among fans. This new feature allows for the transfer of games between different Nintendo Switch systems, but a footnote on an official Nintendo webpage has led to speculation about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
The webpage detailing the Virtual Game Cards feature includes a footnote that has caught the attention of many:
**Compatible systems must be linked to a Nintendo Account to use virtual game cards. Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2 system. To move virtual game cards between two systems, you must pair the systems via local wireless and an internet connection, but only when pairing the systems for the first time. Up to two systems total can be linked per Nintendo Account.
The term "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games" is particularly intriguing. While it's clear that "exclusive games" refer to titles that will only be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2, the mention of "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games" has led to various theories. Given that the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to be backward compatible with the original Switch, the nature of these "Edition games" is unclear.
Some fans believe this could be a hint at "enhanced editions" of existing Switch games, designed to take advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2's capabilities with new features or improved performance. These editions would be exclusive to the Switch 2 and not compatible with the original Switch, explaining why they couldn't be shared back to Switch 1 systems.
Others speculate that this footnote might not confirm anything specific but could indicate that not all Nintendo Switch 2 games will be shareable with Switch 1 systems, even if they are the same game. There's also the possibility that this leaves room for third-party developers to release their own "Nintendo Switch 2 Editions" in the future.
In an attempt to clarify these points, we reached out to Nintendo. A spokesperson informed us that they would provide an answer on April 2, coinciding with the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct event. Fans will need to wait just a bit longer for official clarification.
