Following the announcement of Octopath Traveler 0 during yesterday’s Nintendo Partner Direct, some fans are seeing their excitement turning into irritation upon hearing the news that the Nintendo Switch 2 physical edition of the game is just a Game-Key Card, and not an actual physical game copy.
This information comes from the various listings of the game across sales platforms including Amazon, Best Buy, and Square Enix’s own website. All Nintendo Switch 2 editions of the game show the “Game-Key Card” indicator on the bottom of the box art, rather than a full box indicating a physical edition. Even the game’s $230 Collector’s Edition is a Game-Key Card on Nintendo Switch 2, but a physical edition for all other versions.
The Nintendo Switch 1 physical edition of the game is, however, an actual physical card. But there’s a downside to this, too. As stated by Square Enix on social platforms, the Nintendo Switch 1 edition cannot be upgraded to the Nintendo Switch 2 edition — there’s no path, paid or otherwise. This means that if someone wants a physical edition of the game for their Nintendo Switch 2, they either have to get an inferior Switch 1 edition and just deal with it, or be stuck with a Game-Key Card.
And if you’re asking, “Who cares?” the answer is… quite a few folks! Game-Key Cards are physical cards, but they don’t actually contain the game on the card itself. Instead, the card has a code that initiates a download of the game in question, meaning it’s still a digital game.
This is frustrating to those with reasonable qualms about digital ownership rights, as well as those for whom the whole appeal of getting a physical game copy is not having to spend time downloading it in the first place. It’s also irritating that the Switch 1 edition isn’t even upgradeable — what if someone wants to buy the game at launch, but then purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 at a later date? What a mess.
Game-Key Cards have proven an irritation for Nintendo fans since they were announced. Even some developers aren’t thrilled about the notion, especially given its dicey implications for game preservation.
However, Nintendo claims they’re useful especially for games with larger file sizes that might be difficult to fit on a cartridge, but that also comes with the double-edged sword of a bigger, longer download (Octopath Traveler 0 appears to be 5GB). And as Niko Partners director of research & insights Daniel Ahmad puts it, they can help keep game costs down. Cards are more expensive than discs to produce, and key cards can help reduce costs while still providing something that looks like a physical edition for those who want it.
A reminder that key cards are going to be the majority of releases initially when you build a console that relies on microSD Express tech
Either you use a 64GB cart and price your game >$60 just to make a similar type of margin you would on PS5
Or use a key card + price lower https://t.co/5eZvUoNxoL
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) July 31, 2025
Still, all this has put an unfortunate damper for some on yesterday’s otherwise exciting news. It’s also made Square Enix fans in particular wary, as Bravely Default 1 HD Remaster was also a Game-Key Card only. Is Square Enix committed to this strategy for all its Nintendo Switch 2 games going forward? Perhaps including newly-announced The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales? We’ll have to wait and see.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
