Nintendo Refuses to Follow Sony's Disc Exit, as Switch 2 Exec Says "There's No Plans to Ditch Physical"

Key Points:

• Nintendo's VP for Latin America, Bill van Zyll, confirmed that Nintendo has no plans to stop producing physical game formats, emphasizing the importance of consumer preference and the popularity of physical games among their audience.
• The Nintendo Switch 2 supports both digital downloads and physical Game-Key Cards, which act as keys to download games and can be lent, traded, or resold, blending physical and digital advantages.
• Physical games remain especially popular in Latin America, where collectibility and ease of sharing or reselling are significant factors, despite a global increase in digital adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Nintendo is likely to continue producing physical Game Cards throughout the Nintendo Switch 2 generation, while Microsoft's approach to physical discs remains uncertain amid rumors about the Project Helix console.
• Xbox fans tend to prefer digital formats even more than PlayStation gamers, possibly due to the popularity of services like Game Pass, which may influence Microsoft's future decisions on physical media.