One of the world’s largest libraries will not consider Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards for preservation. Japan’s National Diet Library, which contains over 9,600 video games in its archives, said that it won’t recognize titles in the Game-Key Card format because the games’ data are not located within the physical media itself.
Speaking to Famitsu (via Automaton), representatives from the National Diet Library said that since “a key card, on its own, does not qualify as content, it falls outside of [the library’s] scope for collection and preservation.”
Game-Key Cards solely act as authentication keys, allowing the user to download the full game onto their console when inserted. The card must remain in the system in order to play the game, despite the game being installed, but the card can be shared or resold. Several third-party publishers utilize the medium for their Switch 2 releases, including Capcom, which considers its Game-Key Card titles as digital sales.
Consumers, preservationists, and developers have raised concerns about the format, as ownership of these games is dependent on internet connection and whether Nintendo’s eShop and servers are functional. Those concerned cite Nintendo’s closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops in March 2023, which rendered it impossible to purchase titles from those storefronts through any official means. Nintendo released a survey this month to its customers asking questions about their preferences for physical games.
The National Diet Library, comparable to the United States’ Library of Congress, has been collecting physical video games since October 2000. The national library’s collections, which include books, newspapers, music, maps, and other materials, comprise over 44 million items, making it the eighth-biggest library in the world.
It’s worth noting that the National Diet Library also has an extensive collection of digital materials, including e-books and magazines, but the institution does not include any digital or online-only video games.
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