In fact, there does not appear to be a disc slot anywhere on the Switch unit or its docking station.īack in 2012, then-president Satoru Iwata announced that Nintendo would soon start selling all of its games both in stores and online. Nintendo did confirm that the Switch won’t support two other sorts of physical media: Nintendo 3DS cards and Wii U discs. It also declined to comment on whether games would be sold only via download in some cases, saying that the company would “discuss the specs of Nintendo Switch at a later date.” Notably, while Nintendo did confirm that the system will use “ GameCards,” the company, through a third-party PR person, declined to say what the specifications of the card are. The company did follow up with some basic details in a press release, and then answered a few questions sent via email. Instead, it shows a bunch of examples of how the system can be used, and allows viewers to jump to their own conclusions.
But right now, most of what we know is based on a high-touch promo video that doesn’t actually explain anything. Nintendo plans to further detail its new console at an event in Tokyo on Thursday, followed by a press event in New York on Friday. That may sound like an argument against the Switch moving toward a download-only future, but this console could also be an opportunity for Nintendo to clear the deck of its mistakes and start with a new, responsible approach to online interactions and digital rights management. Just playing with friends can be a challenge on a Nintendo console, though that seems to be slowly improving with each new system. While the company pushes hard on increasing download sales, it is also hampered by a lineage of poorly conceived approaches to online gaming and digital rights management.ĭownloaded games are still tied to the physical hardware on which you purchased them - something that other companies, like Valve with Steam, have moved past with resounding success. It’s clear why Nintendo hasn’t done this yet. If anything, it’s a little surprising that games won’t get there first. That’s where music, television and movies are all headed. It’s also a company that seems to increasingly struggle with the process of delivering acceptable levels of physically manufactured goods.Īnd it stands to reason that one day, gaming consoles won’t be systems that use physical media. Nintendo has been methodically expanding sales of digital games since 2012, slowly adjusting player expectations as it increases capabilities to support those sales. Could the Switch, Nintendo’s upcoming gaming console, be the company’s next big step toward a downloadable-games-only future?
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