Nintendo has explained how game-key cards work on Nintendo Switch 2, using Pokémon Pokopia as an example of a game released in the format. Unlike standard physical game cards, game-key cards do not contain the full game and instead require an internet connection to download the necessary data after being inserted into the console. Once the download is complete, Pokémon Pokopia can only be played while its game-key card remains inserted, allowing the card to function as a physical key. Because game-key cards are not tied to a Nintendo Account, owners can lend them to friends or family, who must download the game data onto their own Nintendo Switch 2 system before playing.
Source: Nintendo
Source:Pokémon
