It’s a sad fact that, alongside the release of theSwitch 2, lovers of physical gaming media are getting a punch to the gut, asNintendo’s newGame Key Card technologyallows developers to have a physical cartridge while forcing consumers to download games off the internet.
Additionally, there is a small loophole that allows all games, regardless of whether they are only a few GB or exceed the 64GB limit for physical cartridges, to save a bit of money by using digital Game Key Cards. Currently, it appears thata majority of third-party titlesare adopting this approach.
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However, a few developers with a love of physical media have taken a stand by promising full games available on physical cartridges. Switch 2 ports, such asCyberpunk 2077by CD Projekt Red, have promised a fully optimized, ROM-included physical release for Switch 2.
Publisher Ken Berry, the CEO ofMarvelous USA, which is publishing the Switch 2 release ofRune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma, has explained in a recentinterview with rpgsite.netthat the decision to avoid Key Cards ultimately comes from their devotion to physical media.
Ken Berry first described his fondness for physical media, even explaining in the interview how he “didn’t purchase a PS5 Pro until I could secure the disc drive add-on first.”This consumer-first approach is exactly what’s behind the mindset of their physical release, as he explains:
It was not an easy decision as it had to be made many months ago when things were very uncertain and we were still learning about how the Game Key Card option worked, but the more we found out about it the more I thought our fans would much prefer the ROM option.
Overall, most fans seem to prefer the ROM option for the cartridge, which allows the entire game to be stored on the cartridge itself, rather than the Key Card that many other third-party developers are using.
Even though all first-party Nintendo games will be full ROM releases, it’s still disappointing to know that most third-party developers are opting for the other option, especially considering what will happen once all of the servers from which we download the games go offline.
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Additionally, opting for this option also allows the game to be classified as the “Nintendo Switch 2 Enhanced” edition, meaning it’ll also be playable on the original Switch, which is a significant benefit for consumers.
When mentioning previous releases, the Marvelous USA publishers have been known to include trinkets such as fan books, manuals, and printed inserts.As Berry expresses, “bringing extra value to our physical releases has always been ingrained in our DNA.”
In this day and age, it’s a treasure to see a developer genuine enough to prioritize the quality of their product for fans, even if it ultimately means losing money in the long run.
If you’re interested in hearing about the story behind other releases by Marvelous USA, we highly recommend thefull interview. Otherwise,Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azumais expected to release alongside the Switch 2 next month.
