Summary
- Virtual Game Cards simplify transferring digital games between Nintendo Switch consoles.
- Virtual Game Cards system enables game sharing and lending via local wireless communication.
During the March 27, 2025 Nintendo Direct, the Japanese gaming company revealed a brand-new Virtual Game Card system that will allow players to more easily transfer their digital games from one Nintendo Switch system to another. The Virtual Game Cards will be useable on existing Nintendo Switch consoles and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 and will permit both sharing and loaning, making for a massive update to digital games.
As audiences gear up for the April 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and prepare for the inevitable release of the highly-anticipated console, many have been curious as to how backwards compatibility may function. Nintendo previously confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will have backward compatibility with physical games, and now Virtual Game Cards will permit Nintendo Switch digital games to jump forward to the next console generation.
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With the current Nintendo Switch digital games library, transferring a downloaded title from one console system to another requires a full user and save data transfer, followed by re-downloading the game. Thanks to these upcoming Virtual Game Cards, players will be able to quickly transfer a single game without having to reconnect or move any user or save data, and they will also have the opportunity to share their games with fellow members under a family account. Perhaps most notably, it was revealed that these Virtual Game Cards can be used to transfer digital games from the Nintendo Switch to the Nintendo Switch 2, meaning players will not have to re-purchase digital Nintendo games if they want to upgrade their system. The Virtual Game Card transfer system is set to go live with a Nintendo Switch software update at the end of April 2025.
How will the Nintendo Virtual Game Card system work?
Using local wireless communication between two Nintendo Switch game consoles, players can “eject” a Virtual Game Card from one system and “insert” this Virtual Game Card into the second system. This process only needs to be completed once to fully transfer a game from one console to the next, but it is limited to sharing between two consoles. Players can also “lend” their Virtual Game Cards to up to eight different Nintendo Accounts under a shared family plan. These loaned Virtual Game Cards expire after two weeks, at which point the game is “returned” to the original owner. Only one game can be loaned to a particular account at one time, but multiple games can be loaned across multiple accounts simultaneously. Save data is not erased when Virtual Game Cards are transferred, making it easier for families to share games and for fans to switch from one console to another.
Video game companies have been prioritizing digital games in recent years, with Sony releasing a digital-only PlayStation 5 console, Xbox focusing on the Game Pass system, and Nintendo now streamlining the transfer of digital games from one Switch to another with Virtual Game Cards. Interested players can stay tuned for more details on the Virtual Game Card system, as well as announcements from the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.
