Developer Explains Why Some Switch 2 Games Are Released Only on Game-Key Cards

Square Enix director Naoki Hamaguchi addressed the performance trade-offs of using full-size cartridges for the Switch 2 and clarified the role of Game-key Cards.

Developers point out that Switch 2 cartridges load more slowly than the console’s built-in SSD, which constrains what high-budget titles can achieve. Hamaguchi says Game-key Cards make it possible to bring releases like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to the Switch 2, offering creators greater flexibility despite some fan criticism.

The Switch 2 represents a significant advancement over its predecessor, yet cartridges remain a bottleneck. This helps explain why many titles are issued on Game-key Cards. The core issue is bandwidth: the internal Kioxia storage can deliver up to 2.1 GB/s, a throughput cartridges cannot match. In short, games load faster from the SSD than from external cartridges.

At TGS 2025, Hamaguchi reiterated that cartridge loading lags behind the SSD, which poses a real problem for big-budget games. He emphasized that without Game-key Cards, some projects simply wouldn’t be feasible on the Switch 2.

Source: iXBT.games