can we stop spreading that $90 rumor, please Nintendo Switch 2’s gameless Game-Key cards are going to be very common Switch 2 game upgrades for original Switch games also range from $10 to $20. Andrew Cunningham – Apr 24, 2025 11:03 am | 27 A Nintendo Switch Game-Key card. Credit: Nintendo A Nintendo Switch Game-Key card. Credit: Nintendo Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more US preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 console went live at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart at midnight Eastern time last night (though the rush of orders caused problems and delays across all three retailers' websites). The console listings came with a wave of other retail listings for games and accessories, and those listings either fill small gaps in our knowledge about Switch 2 game packaging and pricing or confirm facts that were previously implied. First, $80 Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World will not cost $90 as physical releases. This is worth repeating over and over again because of how pernicious the rumors about $90 physical releases have been; as recently as this morning, typing "Switch 2 $90" into Google would show you videos, Reddit threads, news posts, and even Google's own AI summaries all confidently and incorrectly proclaiming that physical Switch 2 releases will cost $90 when they actually won't. Google's AI-generated search summary about $90 Switch 2 games as of this morning. Credit: Andrew Cunningham While physical game releases in the EU sometimes cost more than their digital counterparts, there was actually no indication that US releases of physical games would cost $90. The Mario Kart World website listed an $80 MSRP from the start, as did early retail listings that were published before preorders actually began, and this price didn't change when Nintendo increased accessory pricing in response to import tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. But now that actual order confirmation emails are going out, we can (even more) confidently say that Switch 2 physical releases cost the same amount as digital releases, just like original Switch games and most physical releases for other consoles. For example, the physical release for the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza is $70, also the same as the digital version. Third-party releases run a wider pricing gamut, from as little as $40 (Square Enix's Bravely Default remaster) to as much as $100 (a special edition release of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, also available at $70 for the standard release). Lots of third-party games are getting Game-Key card releases A Game-Key card disclaimer. It tells you you'll need to download the game and approximately how large that download will be. Credit: Nintendo/Sega When preorders opened in Japan yesterday, all physical releases of third-party games had Nintendo's Game-Key card disclaimer printed on them. And it looks like a whole lot of physical third-party Switch 2 game releases in the US will also be Game-Key cards, based on the box art accompanying the listings. These have been controversial among physical media holdouts because they're not physical game releases in the traditional sense—they don't have any actual game data stored on them. When you insert them into a Switch 2, they allow you to download the game content from Nintendo's online store, but unlike a pure digital release, you'll still need to have the Game-Key card inserted every time you want to play the game. We believe these are better than nothing for people who prefer physical games since you can still lend or resell them freely, but they do have significant downsides for game archivists, people with slow Internet connections, or systems whose internal storage is nearly full. Nintendo Everything has taken a crack at compiling a comprehensive list of all Game-Key card releases; you can find games like Cyberpunk 2077 and No Sleep for Kaname Date that don't use the Game-Key card disclaimer on the boxes, but they're definitely less common for third-party games. The Switch 2 repackagings of Switch games include the original Switch game plus an upgrade pack and, at least in some cases, will be playable on the original Switch. Credit: Nintendo The main exception to this rule is for Switch 2 game releases that are actually original Switch games plus a Switch 2 Upgrade Pack—the terminology Nintendo uses for paid updates that add significant visual upgrades or other content to Switch games running on the Switch 2. Those releases appear to have a totally different block of fine print on the front of the box: Includes the Nintendo Switch game and the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack. Upgrade pack also available separately. For details, visit support.nintendo.com/switch2/upgradepack At least some of these physical cards appear to be playable on the original Switch, though it's not clear whether that will be the norm for all Switch 2 Edition releases. Two kinds of upgrade pack Standalone upgrade packs for original Switch games will cost $10 or $20, distinguishing between upgrade packs that simply enhance visuals and packs that add significant new DLC-style content. Credit: Nintendo As for those Switch 2 upgrade packs, it looks like Nintendo has settled on a two-tiered system for upgrade pricing for those who already own the original Switch game in some form. For games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, where the upgrade pack primarily enhances visuals without adding significant new content, pricing will be $10. For games like Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, where the upgrade packs also include extra game modes or other post-release-DLC-style content upgrades, the price will be $20. What Nintendo charges for the full Switch 2 Editions of those games also reflects this pricing—the MSRP for the original Switch game, plus the price of the standalone upgrade pack. So Kirby and Mario Party are $80 (a $60 game plus a $20 upgrade pack), Breath of the Wild is $70 ($60 game, $10 upgrade pack), and Tears of the Kingdom is also $80 ($70 game, $10 upgrade pack). For original Switch games that have been out for a while, buying the original game on sale or used and adding an upgrade pack is an easy way to save a bit of money. Kirby and both Zelda games are available in brand new condition from eBay for $50 or less, just to pick a couple of examples. Andrew Cunningham Senior Technology Reporter Andrew Cunningham Senior Technology Reporter Andrew is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica, with a focus on consumer tech including computer hardware and in-depth reviews of operating systems like Windows and macOS. Andrew lives in Philadelphia and co-hosts a weekly book podcast called Overdue. 27 Comments