I should have mentioned that if you plan to go Digital, an SD Card is a must have but isn’t required. The Switch has 32GB of internal storage which is fine but not enough to store an entire library of games. Check out the 6 CHEAP Must Have Nintendo Switch Accessories video for more info -> ua-cam.com/video/fvyJhgR-qZs/v-deo.html
I have an sd card but I’m trying to stay physical because 1. I tend to play games for a certain amount of time so I don’t constantly change games. 2. Sometimes physical copies can be on sale depending on the company because I saw a game for $20 less than the price I saw it for on the e shop after I got a switch and thought “wow that game was on sale or something”
Yes. The save data will be saved on to the console so you won’t have to worry. And if you have NSO, the save data will also be saved on to the cloud. The save data is never stored on the game cartridge.
I'm on the middle about this. I stick with physical versions for the big name games like Botw, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Smash Ultimate, Mario Kart, Mario Strikers, Splatoon 2&3, etc. But I buy the digital version of indie/less known games since they were/are much cheaper in digital and get on Sale constantly. So far haven't found much of an issue with either so it seems like a preference thing👍
they can be the same price if you buy the code from something like amazon or best buy. they are only more expensive because of the Nintendo tax on the online store
I personally go for both physical and digital though I sometimes lean a lot more on physical and it usually comes down to what game I’m looking forward to and the file size However I never see myself going all digital, I like having digital games but I don’t want all of my games to be digital. I can definitely see myself going all physical at some point but for now I go for both
i like physical games but having to pull it out every time to change game was inconvinient. physical game should act as installer aswell instead of duplicate function of digital
It can not be act as installer because people might just buy ONE and install it on their Switch then sell the cartridge again or lend it to a friend. . Think about how less the Selling of cartridge will be in one City. 😅
Well it's satisfying for me pulling out and putting in the game, also it is easy for your friends to borrow and lend you some games, you can sell the physical copy and keep it in a safe case they have offical cases for physical versions so
I am going to explain to everyone why physical games are superior to digital downloads. I will discuss the many benefits of owning an actual physical game (i.e. long-term ownership, resale value, ease of borrowing, interchangeability between any Nintendo Switch console, etc.). First and foremost, you must understand that all digital games have an expiration date. The expiration date of your digital games occurs when two things happen: 1. Online support for the console has ceased. AND 2. Your game console finally breaks/dies. Once online support for your console is discontinued, the digital games on your microSD card will not be able to be played on any other Switch console. The downloaded games are encrypted and are meant to be played on the specific Nintendo Switch console that you originally downloaded them to. In the absence of online support, and when your console eventually malfunctions or breaks, your games will be inaccessible. I will explain below why we as the consumer should not buy into the digital media push. We should strive to buy a physical game every time, and should avoid digital downloads when possible. Those who prefer digital downloads will be sad/mad in 15-20 years from now when they realize that their hard earned money has vanished. I will explain here with the example of our friend Bob. Bob prefers digital downloads and almost his entire collection of Nintendo Switch games are digital. Unfortunately, Bob did not think ahead to the future and he did not anticipate the concept of the aging console. One cold winter day, in the year 2041, Bob discovered that his Nintendo Switch had finally broken as it no longer worked at all. Bob is wanting to play some good old classic Nintendo Switch games from back in the day. He has great nostalgia for this grand old console. Unfortunately his Nintendo Switch is dead, so he goes to eBay and purchases another Switch that is in good working condition. Bob thinks that all of his digital games are safe and sound on his microSD card that he has safely backed up over the years. Bob did not realize that those digital games on his microSD card are encrypted and are only capable of being played on his old Nintendo Switch console that recently died. Bob says, "that's okay, I will just connect my newly purchased Switch to the eShop and re-download my games. Unfortunately, Bob is dismayed when he discovers that there is absolutely zero online support for the Nintendo Switch now in the year 2041. Bob did not realize that his games on his carefully backed up microSD card would not work on his newly purchased Nintendo switch in the year 2041. Nintendo says on their website: • "Software downloaded to a microSD card on one system will not be playable on a different system." • "Do not swap data between multiple microSD cards, or swap your microSD card between multiple systems. Use a single microSD card with one system." Poor Bob. He lost a lot of money buying all of those digital games. He totally did not see this coming. If he did, he might have purchased more physical copies rather than those blasted digital downloads. It is a fact that at some point in the future, all online support for your Switch will cease completely. Again, digital games will one day be inaccessible when: 1.Online support for the console has ceased. AND 2. Your game console finally dies. There are other reasons why physical games are superior to digital games. I have discussed these other reasons below, but the concept of the aging console (as discussed above) is by far the most important and most compelling reason to always buy physical games as often as possible. History shows us that most consoles are going to fail/malfunction far sooner than the game cartridges will fail. Look to the Atari, Master System, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc., as an example of how game cartridges are still going strong when taken care of. Other reasons why physical games are superior: An important facet to consider is resale value. If I purchase The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and several years later I decide that I would like to sell that game, I can. I can sell the game to someone because I actually own a physical game. And if you haven't gone online recently to see how much old games are selling for these days you really should. Check out eBay and look up some classic games from the NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. Physical games hold their value over time, and some of them become collectibles which sell for large sums of money when in good condition. Another reason why physical media is superior is seen in the example of borrowing. If you choose to purchase digital media, allowing someone to borrow a game becomes technically difficult and requires some trust and perhaps multiple steps to accomplish. However with a physical game, it is simply one step. Hand the game over to your sibling or buddy and start playing that great new game. The following point is less talked about among the gaming community, but it is definitely worth discussing. Most parents prefer buying their kids physical games. Children easily understand that they have to share the game with their siblings and take turns playing it. Online sharing with their sibling is too abstract for kids to fully understand (i.e. Johnny can't play Mario Odyssey on his Switch when Susie is already playing Mario Odyssey on her Switch). Kids will not understand this whole concept of the primary versus secondary home console that Nintendo requires you to set up when you transfer digital data from one console to another. And parents don't want the hassle of the online component of re-downloading the games to the new console they just bought because Johnny keeps accidentally dropping and breaking the system. As a parent, it is just plain annoying that console companies believe that I have the time to figure out how to transfer this game and that game to this console from that console and connect to the internet when that fails, etc. Parents want to just buy the physical game, give it to their kids, tell them to share it with their siblings, and get on with the more important things in life. The Digital Arguments: Some people make the argument for digital by saying "I just want to have all my games with me on the go." That is a silly reason to be ripped off into buying a temporary digital copy. The Switch game cards are so small that you can literally pack over 100 games in a small case. They make cases that literally hold over 100 Switch game cards. And who needs that many games with them at one time anyways? Other people will say something like "I don't like changing out my game card for another game card. It's too much work." That is not only silly, but it is also lazy. If you want to wake up one day in 15-20 years from now (like our friend Bob discussed above) and realize you lost/wasted a ridiculous amount of money, then just buy digital downloads. If you like the idea of not actually owning anything tangible that holds actual resale value, then just buy digital games. Those who prefer digital downloads over physical media have not thought ahead into the future. Perhaps they are forgetting the most important concept: the concept of the aging console. I'll repeat it one last time for you. All digital games will expire and become inaccessible when: 1.Online support for the console has ceased. AND 2. Your game console finally dies. Remember, once online support for your console is discontinued, the digital games on your microSD card will not be able to be played on any other Switch console. This is because the downloaded games are encrypted and are meant to be played on the specific Nintendo Switch console that you originally downloaded them to. In the absence of online support, and when your console eventually malfunctions or breaks, your games will be inaccessible. I hope this helps you make an informed decision about which is right for you. I also hope that this helps us send a clear message to all console companies that physical games are here to stay. Hopefully this has inspired you to resist the digital download option, and embrace the many benefits of owning an actual physical game (i.e. long-term ownership, resale value, ease of borrowing, interchangeability between any Switch console, etc.).
But the digital games save to your Nintendo Account, I bought the OG switch and then returned it back and got the new OLED Switch and then once I linked my nintendo account it still had the digital games because it said reinstall and not "purchase" again Idk if data saves but you still keep the digital game
I mean... If you take care of your consoles, then they won't break for no reason. How do you think we have consoles from over 20 years ago working today? How long do you think a Switch, PS5 and Series consoles will last? What happens if a game is broken? But I totally understand your point of view.
i have own playstation 2 and all physical games. and now i dont care if its damaged because its old system and now so many new nextgen game console. you dont have to keep all your money valued forever
My pros and cons of the physical cartridges: Pros: 1. You have a sense of ownership of the game you bought 2. It doesn’t take it up much space in the internal storage system 3. They are really portable 4. You can sell or trade your game if you didn’t like it Cons: 1. If you lose the physical cartridge, it’s up to you to buy the game again 2. The cartridges are relatively small compared to game discs so you are more prone to losing it 3. It could be damaged 4. Physical versions of the game can be quite expensive compared to digital release versions (I do support the idea of physical use in this instance for the switch. Like he said in the video, it’s really important to take care of them)
Physical means you actually own the game, digital means you’re just borrowing it from Nintendo, and whenever they decide to shut down the platform, your game is gone
I buy most of the time the physical version but I have to admit that I would have saved a lot of money going the digital route. I'm not talking about first party games but everything else. Physical Switch games tend to be very collectible and some of them are really hard to get. Digital games on the other hand seem to be more expensive at first but boy, when you are patient and there are sales, you sure are saving a lot of money. Of course you can resell the physical copy but I wonder if it's worth buying Chrono Cross for 50 bucks, when you can get it for 12 bucks on the eshop when there is a sale. I bought the physical copy anyway but I'm not sure if that was smart. For the 38 $ I would have saved I could have bought also 3 SaGa games which are physical about 150 bucks. Like I said, there are many collectibale games that are hard to get, especially if you are into niche games so going digital is something to consider.
For indie/arcade games (even Mario Kart) I always go digital at this point. Don't want to swap cartbridges often for games I usually play here and there. Exceptions would be games so unique and exceptional like Hades that of course I'll also get the physical version even having the digital version on Switch and Steam. For special games (usually adventure/action related with longer history) or the ones that mean something else for me, then physical. I still keep a small physical collection though, they even feel more special this way.
I went Digital with Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Smash Bros Ultimate. Best decision I ever made. If I have them physically, the hassle of changing cartridges. The likes of Astral Chain and Fire Emblem 3 Houses? I went physical haha
@@user-hardbrain I have most of my games digital and splatoon 2 physical but the surprise was when I wanted to play on the other switch I realized that save data is not cloud supported?!!! Wtf I have to move it manually everytime.
I go digital even though I grew up with physical and here are my reasons, 1. You can't lose the game unless you lose the system itself which also makes physical copies unplayable too obviously. 2. No waiting for shipping or having to drive to the store and hope they have the game when you can instantly buy and download the game digitally. 3. Doesn't take up physical space, I hate having to look for and bring my games with me so I prefer only having to bring the console itself, and even though the games take up a decent amount of digital space, you can easily buy a half terabyte card for the same amount of a single game.
I am also wondering, if you loose your system you can buy another switch ans re-download the games, the only downside I think for digital games is that if you have many friends that own a switch, you can't trade games with them. Also that many main titles like Smash or Zelda do very well when reselling at a later date. One thing I am scared is that you can't play digital games in the future, as well as nintendo let's you play them if you already owned them before....you never know.
I own most of my Switch games digitally because I’m worried that I’m one day going to lose a game because those damn cartridges are so fucking small. The only time I go physical for a game is if I’m importing the game, if the game has a special edition, or if physical is cheaper than digital.
I like physical video games. You actually have it, so there's the excitement of it coming in/getting it at the store, it makes a good collection on a shelf, there can be extra goodies sometimes (for example, Totally Spies: Cyber Mission gave a sticker sheet, holographic card, and fake certificate for the spy organization), and you can let others borrow it, or sell it.
I personally prefer to have a physical copy of a game, as other people have said it doesn't fill up the storage of the switch. One question I have though which might sound like a stupid one. When you play a physical copy of a game, does your progress get saved onto the cartridge like previous consoles or saved onto the console itself?
Tried going all physical but some games got released in sales I had to take advantage of. Now I’m probably 80/20 physical. Only digital are the e shop sales and possibly the various Pokémon games for switching monsters around
I got physical games for my Switch and am regretting it because it's a pain in the ass to switch out the game cartridge with my fat fingers. Plus when I'm switching games, I feel like I'm damaging the label with the oils in my skin. Moving forward, I think I'm going to start buying digital versions of games that I foresee having tons of replay value (e.g. things that I play competitively, especially online), and physical versions of games that I think I'll play through once or less and then resell (e.g. games that are more about the story than the game play)
yep there is pirates that copy the games on sd card and seal them, they sell it unused. This might even ban your acc and there is not much un opened switch games. Most of them just sealed back
i do think digital might be better if they decide to make the next console has backward Compatability and they are going for disks or difrent cartridge and in the rare scenario digital only
I wonder if buying Physical will be better in the long run due to Nintendo being like "No more Eshop and no more way of downloading your favorite games anymore that you rightfully paid for, sucks to be you."
In the near future I am going to buy my very first game and it will be physical copy (TOTK) and I don't have a SD or ANY storage, so I am very scared to buy the game and I can't even play it, so do I need storage to use or play a physical game?
I know this is from two years ago, but I feel that it still applies today, I prefer buying physical copies as opposed to digital because it feels like I don’t own the digital releases. Where is the physical copies. I know that I truly own them, it just feels more like I’m renting my games, because if I decide I can’t pay the subscription then I lose access to my own games that I paid for with my own money.
If I have a choice between cloud version or physical games , then for sure physical. Other wise digital . It is just faster easier , more portable ….it is future technology .
So if you download all of them on the switch doesn’t that mean you can easily transfer them to another switch if you have two ? So it’s probably better to do that if you have both right. And then if you sell one just delete your account from that one
How about game like GTA definitive edition where the base game is unplayable and have to update it even the physical version? It make no sense to have a physical game at that state to achieve the game in long run right, we have to wait until the they reelee the game in fully patched version that able to just slot in and play without much update needed
In My Case, it doesn't matter if I have a Digital or Physical game. Unlike most gamers, I'm not a collector, I only buy games that I'm going to play, so I don't buy games to expand my collection. I don't care about resell or trading physical games because I never do that at all with Digital is nice and convenient. Sure some people are against Digital Games since they require you to have storage space on your Console, but Physical Games also require you to have space on your room. But it doesn't really matter if you prefer Digital or Physical Games, both have their Pros and Cons, as long as you play the game, everything matters. There is no shame if you prefer both or one or the other it's your money you decide what to do with it, personally I don't care much about Digital or Physical. Regardless of where you prefer Physical or Digital Games, you should always buy the games you want to play so that you are saving space and money.
Best to have a mix of both. I got Super Mario Odyssey and Super Smash Bros Ultimate for $40 each from buying them used. I'm about to buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the same price and totk for $55. In total, that's $175. If I were to buy them all digitally it would be $250. But for some games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps I missed the sale for it last time but it regularly goes on sale for under $10 on the eshop. So it all just depends on the game. I think the argument that its harder to travel with the cartridges is stupid because most people use a case or bag when taking the switch with them so they can easily throw a few cartridges in it. The only annoying this is switching out the games because its hard to open it at times. But for the ones I bought used, I should be able to sell them for almost the same price 2-3 years down the line if I want to.
One pro I found about digital games is how convenient it is. You don’t have to insert a cartridge. Two cons however, are storage amount and not actually owning the game but more like purchasing the license to access the game through eShop. The pros for physical games are retailers having sales on them so you can get a great deal on some games. Eshop rarely ever has any sales. Another one is having full ownership to the game. The con is that if it gets damaged, your game is gone forever unlike digital where it can be backed up.
Digital- Cheaper sales for non phy dig games + all sales will go low now to 1.99 if not cheaper, it uses memory a lot to spend, save room space, slot cover could bake overtime. Physical- Can sell later, tends to be on sale then Eshop/collection, got to use that case.
8 just bought the switch lite today, I bought assassins creed ,only to discover an empty case z& a piece of paper with a number on it , I was not a happy bunny, I am old school & l8ke 5o have something in my hand after shelling out £££ , & you can't trade a download. I will never buy another digital copy.
Help I have lost my acnh cartridge and I cannot find it if I buy the game digitally will the content from my save transfer I have hundreds of hours and really don’t want to lose it please help me
I don't know if someone already answered this for you but yeah, as long as you use your same switch account that you played with the first time you will still be in your island, nothing will be lost at all! The data is saved in your switch account, not in the cartridge.
I prefer the physical copy of the game, specially when other people you know like friends and family members have the Nintendo switch, you can let them use the game one your done for free 😁
Is there a way I can download my physical copy of dying light to my switch to make things more stream line? I just got one and bought dying light with it. Being new to all this, I wasn’t aware I can just download them straight to the console (yes I live under a rock). So I started downloading games but now my OCD wants me to get dying light downloaded. Any help with this?
Unfortunately you can not download physical games on to the console. I suppose you could try and sell your physical copy then buy the digital version. Hope this helps :)
would be pretty cool if you could exchange your digital purchase with a hard copy in exchange for owning the digital version instead, it's hard to explain but I hope people get what I mean
Is The catridge is part of the experience too, popping out and switching a other catridge game in, all digital lose this experience isnt it? If you dont play nintendo franchise games, shoukd you still get Nintendo Switch for the house of the dead remake, 51 board game and other third party games? Make sense to buy on Switch or Steam for these game? Always a PS guy, never had the experience other kids had back in the day to habe a portable device that hold catridge game, maybe i shoukd give switch a try to discover things i didnt like or havent know i actually like?
I only buy physical for exclusives and just buy everything else when they will be on atleast 80% discount on eshop. though im all digital for my ps coz they eventually sell their exclusives for cheap.
I do think even if eshop shuts down in the future. They'll give you time to get your games downloaded to keep them forever. That being said. I'll be buying digital only if there's a huge sale. Like Bethesda games right now. Geez, they're 50% off.
I was thinking of buying a switch and i couldn’t decide if I wanted to buy my games physical or digital, i dont wanna buy digital cuz I’m scared my account get hacked and I lose my games, tell me if I’m wrong
You will most likely be able to download all of your past games on your Switch just like the Wii’s eShop. A new generation of Switch will also be backwards compatible. So I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Its just something that I wanted to clarify in the video in the chance that something like that were to happen. I would say the switch eshop probably has another 10 years ahead of it.
With lots of switch games recently half the game isn't even on the cartridge. The game is half there missing features and you have to download updates to get the full game you payed for 😒
Hi I have question. What about Fall Guys game and UA-cam on eshop? Both apps are free, If I have family subscription, can play together under 1 family account? or it wont work?
I used to be all for physical games but on the Switch I'm unsure. My 2 games are both digital since they came as a code with the consoles. But from what I've read: The cartridges don't do anything...Your game save data gets saved on the Switch instead of the cartridges unlike on the DS. So if Nintendo were to stop support for a game like let's say Animal Crossing for example: wouldn't you be stuck playing it first version like it just released? So: lots of things missing ect.
Anton Retro. I got both the Digital and Physical versions of the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild including the DLC which is on the Digital. How can I get the DLC to be on the Physical copy? Please tell me.
The only issue I have with anything hard copy is the waste. Non bio degradable plastics that will eventually find themselves into landfills or the ocean
As far as games go for the Nintendo Switch, buy the version that is cheaper, if the game is cheaper on the Nintendo store, buy it there, if it is cheaper physical. Buy it there.
I believe so the only thing the cartridge or the sd card doesn’t do it’s save your game data like let say u been a goober and broke your switch u buy a new one u remember your account and password u have digital titles and physical all of them redownload and work fine but there’s a con all your safe data it’s gone the switch holds all safe game data the sd card holds the dlc not even the cartridges hold save data I learn this the hard way
I do both but barely do digital since it takes a lot of my storage. For comparison, mk8d digitaly takes 11.6 gb of storage, while physical mk8d takes 4.3 gb of storage.
The biggest mistake Nintendo made, was not making the old version of Minecraft available for physical purposes ( game card cartridge). If i had known that the old version of Minecraft was only available for a short period of time. I would have bought it on day one. rather than regretting not purchasing it in 2017.
you need internet only to install or update the games, once you have the games installed, you don't need to be connected to the internet (unless if its an inline game) :)
@GoldenQ. it depends on the game. Some you can play ofline but it has online futers like Mario kart but let's say I wanted to play a game like ashfalt 9 or fortnight that runs off a game server so I'd need internet for that. Games like Mario kart or super Mario wonder and Zelda shold be good ofline though.
I should have mentioned that if you plan to go Digital, an SD Card is a must have but isn’t required. The Switch has 32GB of internal storage which is fine but not enough to store an entire library of games. Check out the 6 CHEAP Must Have Nintendo Switch Accessories video for more info -> ua-cam.com/video/fvyJhgR-qZs/v-deo.html
Very cool
Thanks!
I have an sd card but I’m trying to stay physical because
1. I tend to play games for a certain amount of time so I don’t constantly change games.
2. Sometimes physical copies can be on sale depending on the company because I saw a game for $20 less than the price I saw it for on the e shop after I got a switch and thought “wow that game was on sale or something”
Yes. The save data will be saved on to the console so you won’t have to worry. And if you have NSO, the save data will also be saved on to the cloud. The save data is never stored on the game cartridge.
can you change the langauge of physical games?
I buy physical as much as possible, somehow buying digital games doesn’t feel like I own the game instead just a permission to play it.
Can always redownload it though you can still redownload stuff from the wii shop till this day
@@joyconboyasmr6499 wait I thought they made it so you cant even redownload in 2019??
@@joebangles03 I think you can, I’ve seen some guides on UA-cam. Search around if you’re interested.
Exactly
@@joyconboyasmr6499 Not anymore
I'm on the middle about this. I stick with physical versions for the big name games like Botw, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Smash Ultimate, Mario Kart, Mario Strikers, Splatoon 2&3, etc.
But I buy the digital version of indie/less known games since they were/are much cheaper in digital and get on Sale constantly. So far haven't found much of an issue with either so it seems like a preference thing👍
Same, I kinda have a problem with boying indie games... I HAVE OVER 200
I need to stop
foreal i wanna do the same
Thanks for the great explanation! Surprised that the digital versions of some games actually cost more than physical copies, that seems backwards!
it truly does, considering the amount of space it takes up!
they can be the same price if you buy the code from something like amazon or best buy. they are only more expensive because of the Nintendo tax on the online store
You Must Pay For Convenience!
What I like about physical games is that it saves you storage and you don’t have to think about your SD card getting loaded that much.
Two physical games were downloaded on to my switch. I think it was Mario kart and super smash. Mario 3D World just hopped on the game instantly
How can u download DLC in Physical games?
@@PhenPot09 It detects that you have the software and you install it on the SD card. Game cards are read only, I believe.
I personally go for both physical and digital though I sometimes lean a lot more on physical and it usually comes down to what game I’m looking forward to and the file size
However I never see myself going all digital, I like having digital games but I don’t want all of my games to be digital. I can definitely see myself going all physical at some point but for now I go for both
I love physical games. I just wish they had the booklets with them. I don’t like the Switch having to be connected to WiFi to play certain games.
i like physical games but having to pull it out every time to change game was inconvinient. physical game should act as installer aswell instead of duplicate function of digital
Wow are you really that lazy you can’t take the game out! 😂😂 you must be a big person
@@MarS-dc2qx sthu it’s not lazy, it’s just he’s saying it could’ve been better if it was performed another way,
It can not be act as installer because people might just buy ONE and install it on their Switch then sell the cartridge again or lend it to a friend. .
Think about how less the Selling of cartridge will be in one City. 😅
Well it's satisfying for me pulling out and putting in the game, also it is easy for your friends to borrow and lend you some games, you can sell the physical copy and keep it in a safe case they have offical cases for physical versions so
I am going to explain to everyone why physical games are superior to digital downloads. I will discuss the many benefits of owning an actual physical game (i.e. long-term ownership, resale value, ease of borrowing, interchangeability between any Nintendo Switch console, etc.). First and foremost, you must understand that all digital games have an expiration date. The expiration date of your digital games occurs when two things happen:
1. Online support for the console has ceased.
AND
2. Your game console finally breaks/dies.
Once online support for your console is discontinued, the digital games on your microSD card will not be able to be played on any other Switch console. The downloaded games are encrypted and are meant to be played on the specific Nintendo Switch console that you originally downloaded them to. In the absence of online support, and when your console eventually malfunctions or breaks, your games will be inaccessible.
I will explain below why we as the consumer should not buy into the digital media push. We should strive to buy a physical game every time, and should avoid digital downloads when possible.
Those who prefer digital downloads will be sad/mad in 15-20 years from now when they realize that their hard earned money has vanished. I will explain here with the example of our friend Bob. Bob prefers digital downloads and almost his entire collection of Nintendo Switch games are digital. Unfortunately, Bob did not think ahead to the future and he did not anticipate the concept of the aging console. One cold winter day, in the year 2041, Bob discovered that his Nintendo Switch had finally broken as it no longer worked at all. Bob is wanting to play some good old classic Nintendo Switch games from back in the day. He has great nostalgia for this grand old console. Unfortunately his Nintendo Switch is dead, so he goes to eBay and purchases another Switch that is in good working condition. Bob thinks that all of his digital games are safe and sound on his microSD card that he has safely backed up over the years. Bob did not realize that those digital games on his microSD card are encrypted and are only capable of being played on his old Nintendo Switch console that recently died. Bob says, "that's okay, I will just connect my newly purchased Switch to the eShop and re-download my games. Unfortunately, Bob is dismayed when he discovers that there is absolutely zero online support for the Nintendo Switch now in the year 2041. Bob did not realize that his games on his carefully backed up microSD card would not work on his newly purchased Nintendo switch in the year 2041.
Nintendo says on their website:
• "Software downloaded to a microSD card on one system will not be playable on a different system."
• "Do not swap data between multiple microSD cards, or swap your microSD card between multiple systems. Use a single microSD card with one system."
Poor Bob. He lost a lot of money buying all of those digital games. He totally did not see this coming. If he did, he might have purchased more physical copies rather than those blasted digital downloads. It is a fact that at some point in the future, all online support for your Switch will cease completely.
Again, digital games will one day be inaccessible when:
1.Online support for the console has ceased.
AND
2. Your game console finally dies.
There are other reasons why physical games are superior to digital games. I have discussed these other reasons below, but the concept of the aging console (as discussed above) is by far the most important and most compelling reason to always buy physical games as often as possible. History shows us that most consoles are going to fail/malfunction far sooner than the game cartridges will fail. Look to the Atari, Master System, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc., as an example of how game cartridges are still going strong when taken care of.
Other reasons why physical games are superior:
An important facet to consider is resale value. If I purchase The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and several years later I decide that I would like to sell that game, I can. I can sell the game to someone because I actually own a physical game. And if you haven't gone online recently to see how much old games are selling for these days you really should. Check out eBay and look up some classic games from the NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. Physical games hold their value over time, and some of them become collectibles which sell for large sums of money when in good condition.
Another reason why physical media is superior is seen in the example of borrowing. If you choose to purchase digital media, allowing someone to borrow a game becomes technically difficult and requires some trust and perhaps multiple steps to accomplish. However with a physical game, it is simply one step. Hand the game over to your sibling or buddy and start playing that great new game.
The following point is less talked about among the gaming community, but it is definitely worth discussing. Most parents prefer buying their kids physical games. Children easily understand that they have to share the game with their siblings and take turns playing it. Online sharing with their sibling is too abstract for kids to fully understand (i.e. Johnny can't play Mario Odyssey on his Switch when Susie is already playing Mario Odyssey on her Switch). Kids will not understand this whole concept of the primary versus secondary home console that Nintendo requires you to set up when you transfer digital data from one console to another. And parents don't want the hassle of the online component of re-downloading the games to the new console they just bought because Johnny keeps accidentally dropping and breaking the system. As a parent, it is just plain annoying that console companies believe that I have the time to figure out how to transfer this game and that game to this console from that console and connect to the internet when that fails, etc. Parents want to just buy the physical game, give it to their kids, tell them to share it with their siblings, and get on with the more important things in life.
The Digital Arguments:
Some people make the argument for digital by saying "I just want to have all my games with me on the go." That is a silly reason to be ripped off into buying a temporary digital copy. The Switch game cards are so small that you can literally pack over 100 games in a small case. They make cases that literally hold over 100 Switch game cards. And who needs that many games with them at one time anyways? Other people will say something like "I don't like changing out my game card for another game card. It's too much work." That is not only silly, but it is also lazy. If you want to wake up one day in 15-20 years from now (like our friend Bob discussed above) and realize you lost/wasted a ridiculous amount of money, then just buy digital downloads. If you like the idea of not actually owning anything tangible that holds actual resale value, then just buy digital games. Those who prefer digital downloads over physical media have not thought ahead into the future. Perhaps they are forgetting the most important concept: the concept of the aging console. I'll repeat it one last time for you.
All digital games will expire and become inaccessible when:
1.Online support for the console has ceased.
AND
2. Your game console finally dies.
Remember, once online support for your console is discontinued, the digital games on your microSD card will not be able to be played on any other Switch console. This is because the downloaded games are encrypted and are meant to be played on the specific Nintendo Switch console that you originally downloaded them to. In the absence of online support, and when your console eventually malfunctions or breaks, your games will be inaccessible.
I hope this helps you make an informed decision about which is right for you. I also hope that this helps us send a clear message to all console companies that physical games are here to stay. Hopefully this has inspired you to resist the digital download option, and embrace the many benefits of owning an actual physical game (i.e. long-term ownership, resale value, ease of borrowing, interchangeability between any Switch console, etc.).
But the digital games save to your Nintendo Account, I bought the OG switch and then returned it back and got the new OLED Switch and then once I linked my nintendo account it still had the digital games because it said reinstall and not "purchase" again
Idk if data saves but you still keep the digital game
I mean... If you take care of your consoles, then they won't break for no reason. How do you think we have consoles from over 20 years ago working today? How long do you think a Switch, PS5 and Series consoles will last? What happens if a game is broken? But I totally understand your point of view.
i have own playstation 2 and all physical games. and now i dont care if its damaged because its old system and now so many new nextgen game console. you dont have to keep all your money valued forever
@Yvng remixer Data Rot exists.
Just get a game stick in the future that will have a billion games on it for 100 bucks in 2041
My pros and cons of the physical cartridges:
Pros:
1. You have a sense of ownership of the game you bought
2. It doesn’t take it up much space in the internal storage system
3. They are really portable
4. You can sell or trade your game if you didn’t like it
Cons:
1. If you lose the physical cartridge, it’s up to you to buy the game again
2. The cartridges are relatively small compared to game discs so you are more prone to losing it
3. It could be damaged
4. Physical versions of the game can be quite expensive compared to digital release versions
(I do support the idea of physical use in this instance for the switch. Like he said in the video, it’s really important to take care of them)
Physical means you actually own the game, digital means you’re just borrowing it from Nintendo, and whenever they decide to shut down the platform, your game is gone
I buy most of the time the physical version but I have to admit that I would have saved a lot of money going the digital route. I'm not talking about first party games but everything else. Physical Switch games tend to be very collectible and some of them are really hard to get. Digital games on the other hand seem to be more expensive at first but boy, when you are patient and there are sales, you sure are saving a lot of money. Of course you can resell the physical copy but I wonder if it's worth buying Chrono Cross for 50 bucks, when you can get it for 12 bucks on the eshop when there is a sale. I bought the physical copy anyway but I'm not sure if that was smart. For the 38 $ I would have saved I could have bought also 3 SaGa games which are physical about 150 bucks. Like I said, there are many collectibale games that are hard to get, especially if you are into niche games so going digital is something to consider.
For indie/arcade games (even Mario Kart) I always go digital at this point. Don't want to swap cartbridges often for games I usually play here and there. Exceptions would be games so unique and exceptional like Hades that of course I'll also get the physical version even having the digital version on Switch and Steam.
For special games (usually adventure/action related with longer history) or the ones that mean something else for me, then physical. I still keep a small physical collection though, they even feel more special this way.
I went Digital with Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Smash Bros Ultimate. Best decision I ever made. If I have them physically, the hassle of changing cartridges.
The likes of Astral Chain and Fire Emblem 3 Houses? I went physical haha
@@user-hardbrain I have most of my games digital and splatoon 2 physical but the surprise was when I wanted to play on the other switch I realized that save data is not cloud supported?!!! Wtf I have to move it manually everytime.
I go digital even though I grew up with physical and here are my reasons, 1. You can't lose the game unless you lose the system itself which also makes physical copies unplayable too obviously. 2. No waiting for shipping or having to drive to the store and hope they have the game when you can instantly buy and download the game digitally. 3. Doesn't take up physical space, I hate having to look for and bring my games with me so I prefer only having to bring the console itself, and even though the games take up a decent amount of digital space, you can easily buy a half terabyte card for the same amount of a single game.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what if your online membership expires. Will you still be able to play the games you bought from the e-shop?
@@Bookaddicty Yes, though some games rely on the online service for even just logging into the game, for those you can't
I am also wondering, if you loose your system you can buy another switch ans re-download the games, the only downside I think for digital games is that if you have many friends that own a switch, you can't trade games with them. Also that many main titles like Smash or Zelda do very well when reselling at a later date. One thing I am scared is that you can't play digital games in the future, as well as nintendo let's you play them if you already owned them before....you never know.
I own most of my Switch games digitally because I’m worried that I’m one day going to lose a game because those damn cartridges are so fucking small. The only time I go physical for a game is if I’m importing the game, if the game has a special edition, or if physical is cheaper than digital.
Just save it to your game boxes collection somewhere safe
Smooth ,helpful,and easy to understand
Explain
Thanks bro
I like physical video games. You actually have it, so there's the excitement of it coming in/getting it at the store, it makes a good collection on a shelf, there can be extra goodies sometimes (for example, Totally Spies: Cyber Mission gave a sticker sheet, holographic card, and fake certificate for the spy organization), and you can let others borrow it, or sell it.
I stick with Physical for most games, but if is not on cartridge, then digital.
Totally agree.. i sually purchased secondhand cartridge to save more money
There's one issue out of the equation. Switch consoles are region free.
Source: I own 11 American titles, 5 European and 2 Japanese.
but can you like change the langauge? if it is italian can you change it to german?
@@mariamalfertheiner7702 only if you change the console language
I personally prefer to have a physical copy of a game, as other people have said it doesn't fill up the storage of the switch. One question I have though which might sound like a stupid one. When you play a physical copy of a game, does your progress get saved onto the cartridge like previous consoles or saved onto the console itself?
@@alexk7467 digital way better physical can get lost easily
@@Pomaster-g1b if your careless and have the mental capacity of a 9 year old than sure that can happen.
Tried going all physical but some games got released in sales I had to take advantage of. Now I’m probably 80/20 physical. Only digital are the e shop sales and possibly the various Pokémon games for switching monsters around
“You can taste the cartridge” lol
I always love the smell of a brand new game being opened !
Some of Digital games are cheap helps me alot to save money,
While physical copy i bought are chosen which is tangible and like to see.
Very well done video! Thank you for the knowledge
I normally go with physical, but x example, Stardew is 40€ (cartridge), whereas physical is 14€ without discount.
I got physical games for my Switch and am regretting it because it's a pain in the ass to switch out the game cartridge with my fat fingers. Plus when I'm switching games, I feel like I'm damaging the label with the oils in my skin. Moving forward, I think I'm going to start buying digital versions of games that I foresee having tons of replay value (e.g. things that I play competitively, especially online), and physical versions of games that I think I'll play through once or less and then resell (e.g. games that are more about the story than the game play)
Digital for me.
I'm slowly going digital with my Nintendo Switch games as I live alone and don't trust people where I live.
yep there is pirates that copy the games on sd card and seal them, they sell it unused. This might even ban your acc and there is not much un opened switch games. Most of them just sealed back
i do think digital might be better if they decide to make the next console has backward Compatability and they are going for disks or difrent cartridge and in the rare scenario digital only
I wonder if buying Physical will be better in the long run due to Nintendo being like "No more Eshop and no more way of downloading your favorite games anymore that you rightfully paid for, sucks to be you."
In the near future I am going to buy my very first game and it will be physical copy (TOTK) and I don't have a SD or ANY storage, so I am very scared to buy the game and I can't even play it, so do I need storage to use or play a physical game?
I know this is from two years ago, but I feel that it still applies today, I prefer buying physical copies as opposed to digital because it feels like I don’t own the digital releases. Where is the physical copies. I know that I truly own them, it just feels more like I’m renting my games, because if I decide I can’t pay the subscription then I lose access to my own games that I paid for with my own money.
If I have a choice between cloud version or physical games , then for sure physical. Other wise digital . It is just faster easier , more portable ….it is future technology .
So if you download all of them on the switch doesn’t that mean you can easily transfer them to another switch if you have two ? So it’s probably better to do that if you have both right. And then if you sell one just delete your account from that one
How about game like GTA definitive edition where the base game is unplayable and have to update it even the physical version? It make no sense to have a physical game at that state to achieve the game in long run right, we have to wait until the they reelee the game in fully patched version that able to just slot in and play without much update needed
In My Case, it doesn't matter if I have a Digital or Physical game.
Unlike most gamers, I'm not a collector, I only buy games that I'm going to play, so I don't buy games to expand my collection. I don't care about resell or trading physical games because I never do that at all with Digital is nice and convenient.
Sure some people are against Digital Games since they require you to have storage space on your Console, but Physical Games also require you to have space on your room. But it doesn't really matter if you prefer Digital or Physical Games, both have their Pros and Cons, as long as you play the game, everything matters.
There is no shame if you prefer both or one or the other it's your money you decide what to do with it, personally I don't care much about Digital or Physical. Regardless of where you prefer Physical or Digital Games, you should always buy the games you want to play so that you are saving space and money.
Thanks for this video 👍🏻👌🏻✌🏻
Well done!
Digital downloads that I have won’t let me play the game without wifi so I prefer physical games
For me it doesn’t exactly matter, if I see it at Walmart and it looks cool, buy, if I see it on the eshop and it looks cool, buy.
Best to have a mix of both. I got Super Mario Odyssey and Super Smash Bros Ultimate for $40 each from buying them used. I'm about to buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the same price and totk for $55. In total, that's $175. If I were to buy them all digitally it would be $250. But for some games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps I missed the sale for it last time but it regularly goes on sale for under $10 on the eshop. So it all just depends on the game. I think the argument that its harder to travel with the cartridges is stupid because most people use a case or bag when taking the switch with them so they can easily throw a few cartridges in it. The only annoying this is switching out the games because its hard to open it at times. But for the ones I bought used, I should be able to sell them for almost the same price 2-3 years down the line if I want to.
How'd you get totk for $55?
@@kenCxeShop sales.
PHYSICAL, JUST PHYSICAL. DIGITAL TAKE UP *WAY* TOO MUCH SPACE
@Lemonhead Studios oh yes
How many space does digital take?
So does physical 🤷🏻♂️
You’ll have a pack of boxes
@@Ari-iu5ym not really, some of them don’t really take that much space.
@@Viktor-wk4yr a LOT
Very helpful video.
One pro I found about digital games is how convenient it is. You don’t have to insert a cartridge. Two cons however, are storage amount and not actually owning the game but more like purchasing the license to access the game through eShop. The pros for physical games are retailers having sales on them so you can get a great deal on some games. Eshop rarely ever has any sales. Another one is having full ownership to the game. The con is that if it gets damaged, your game is gone forever unlike digital where it can be backed up.
@lollipopcorndog I'm wanting to buy stardew valley. The digital is 3 times cheaper. But storage needed is massive. I'm torn. Help?
Literally all of my game cartridges are gone and idk how to get the data back
I want to play Splatoon 3 dlc :(
Getting a digital game just doesn’t feel the same as getting a physical one, getting a physical copy of a game just feels more special
Digital- Cheaper sales for non phy dig games + all sales will go low now to 1.99 if not cheaper, it uses memory a lot to spend, save room space, slot cover could bake overtime.
Physical- Can sell later, tends to be on sale then Eshop/collection, got to use that case.
One question: Assuming i have a EU cartridge, will dlcs from NA eshop work on that cartridge?
Yes but only for certain games like xenoblade chronicles 2 and torna
8 just bought the switch lite today, I bought assassins creed ,only to discover an empty case z& a piece of paper with a number on it , I was not a happy bunny, I am old school & l8ke 5o have something in my hand after shelling out £££ , & you can't trade a download. I will never buy another digital copy.
Help I have lost my acnh cartridge and I cannot find it if I buy the game digitally will the content from my save transfer I have hundreds of hours and really don’t want to lose it please help me
I don't know if someone already answered this for you but yeah, as long as you use your same switch account that you played with the first time you will still be in your island, nothing will be lost at all! The data is saved in your switch account, not in the cartridge.
Hey im planning on getting a switch lite and I don’t want to get a physical copy of mk8 deluxe. Can I buy it digitally and still get the dlc tracks?
I prefer the physical copy of the game, specially when other people you know like friends and family members have the Nintendo switch, you can let them use the game one your done for free 😁
Is there a way I can download my physical copy of dying light to my switch to make things more stream line? I just got one and bought dying light with it. Being new to all this, I wasn’t aware I can just download them straight to the console (yes I live under a rock). So I started downloading games but now my OCD wants me to get dying light downloaded. Any help with this?
Unfortunately you can not download physical games on to the console. I suppose you could try and sell your physical copy then buy the digital version. Hope this helps :)
@@antonretro thank you!
would be pretty cool if you could exchange your digital purchase with a hard copy in exchange for owning the digital version instead, it's hard to explain but I hope people get what I mean
Is The catridge is part of the experience too, popping out and switching a other catridge game in, all digital lose this experience isnt it?
If you dont play nintendo franchise games, shoukd you still get Nintendo Switch for the house of the dead remake, 51 board game and other third party games? Make sense to buy on Switch or Steam for these game? Always a PS guy, never had the experience other kids had back in the day to habe a portable device that hold catridge game, maybe i shoukd give switch a try to discover things i didnt like or havent know i actually like?
question: if you were to buy a physical copy of a game, would you be able to buy downloadoble content for the game digitally?
Yes you can still buy & download DLC. But the eshop’s region where you buy the DLC, has to have the same region as the physical copy.
How can I play the same physical game on two Nintendo switches?
Quick Question, does primary games take space storage on your switch or no?
If I have a physical copy of sword could I buy the dlc on the e shop and have it on the physical game?
I only buy physical for exclusives and just buy everything else when they will be on atleast 80% discount on eshop. though im all digital for my ps coz they eventually sell their exclusives for cheap.
Hi I have a question, why is the case so big if it’s small
I do think even if eshop shuts down in the future. They'll give you time to get your games downloaded to keep them forever. That being said. I'll be buying digital only if there's a huge sale.
Like Bethesda games right now. Geez, they're 50% off.
how do i switch from digital to physical on the nintendo switch if i have already downloaded and played the game
If i put Games on my SD card, and they get delisted from the eshop , can I still download them and play them?
I was thinking of buying a switch and i couldn’t decide if I wanted to buy my games physical or digital, i dont wanna buy digital cuz I’m scared my account get hacked and I lose my games, tell me if I’m wrong
Want to buy Doom slayer not sure if its adviceable to buy digital some says i could lose my games
When do you think Switch eshop will shut down? Like we can no longer play digital games.
Im worried since I was going all digital 😿
You will most likely be able to download all of your past games on your Switch just like the Wii’s eShop. A new generation of Switch will also be backwards compatible. So I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Its just something that I wanted to clarify in the video in the chance that something like that were to happen. I would say the switch eshop probably has another 10 years ahead of it.
@@antonretro ohh okay ❤ thank you
I was so shocked when I heard that News😂
Same here thx
If you downloaded it you can still play it... why have a game and not have it downloaded
@@sembruh3294 u dun know much about digital games, do you?
Hi can you tell me the name of the game on 1:56...TIA
With lots of switch games recently half the game isn't even on the cartridge. The game is half there missing features and you have to download updates to get the full game you payed for 😒
True.
Hi I have question. What about Fall Guys game and UA-cam on eshop? Both apps are free, If I have family subscription, can play together under 1 family account? or it wont work?
I want to know: can you use dlc for physical games? (For example splatoon 2's octo expansion)
Yes, you can buy the dlc off the eshop if you already have the physical game cartridge
I used to be all for physical games but on the Switch I'm unsure. My 2 games are both digital since they came as a code with the consoles. But from what I've read: The cartridges don't do anything...Your game save data gets saved on the Switch instead of the cartridges unlike on the DS. So if Nintendo were to stop support for a game like let's say Animal Crossing for example: wouldn't you be stuck playing it first version like it just released? So: lots of things missing ect.
That's why I buy digital too
Your saved level of game remains on The console
Anton Retro. I got both the Digital and Physical versions of the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild including the DLC which is on the Digital. How can I get the DLC to be on the Physical copy? Please tell me.
I have a question,how do you play digital games on multiple accounts? It wont let me play with another account coz i need to buy it again. Any answer?
The only issue I have with anything hard copy is the waste. Non bio degradable plastics that will eventually find themselves into landfills or the ocean
What happenes if you don’t download a physical copy do you miss any other feature of the game for not downloading?
Good advice.
As far as games go for the Nintendo Switch, buy the version that is cheaper, if the game is cheaper on the Nintendo store, buy it there, if it is cheaper physical. Buy it there.
So if I buy the game digitally, save it on the SD card, game is delisted from store, CAN I STILL PLAY THAT PARTICULAR GAME FROM SD CARD?
I believe so the only thing the cartridge or the sd card doesn’t do it’s save your game data like let say u been a goober and broke your switch u buy a new one u remember your account and password u have digital titles and physical all of them redownload and work fine but there’s a con all your safe data it’s gone the switch holds all safe game data the sd card holds the dlc not even the cartridges hold save data I learn this the hard way
Plz answer this question, i wanna buy nintendo soon so if i buy card game, do i need to pay to use dlc?
Do I have to install the physical game like on other consoles or is that just for digital version of the game?
Ive got a switch lite and a 519gb sd card. I mosstly have digital but buy physical for games i feel strongly about.
I do both but barely do digital since it takes a lot of my storage. For comparison, mk8d digitaly takes 11.6 gb of storage, while physical mk8d takes 4.3 gb of storage.
What about Resident Evil Triple Pack? I can play RE4, 5, and 6 in just 1 game card?
I have kids ....digital all the way!
can we redownload digital game if we lost the console?
Sure you can redownload the games as long it's under your Nintendo account
And that's why I stick with physical collections
@@Idrinkwindexalot then the cartridge gets ruined or lost...
The biggest mistake Nintendo made, was not making the old version of Minecraft available for physical purposes ( game card cartridge).
If i had known that the old version of Minecraft was only available for a short period of time. I would have bought it on day one. rather than regretting not purchasing it in 2017.
What is the difference between used physical games and not used?
Can you save physical games to a SD Card so you don’t need to carry multiple games cards
Can I use digital without internet?
Hi i am newbie to switch, does playing digital games need wifi connection everytime you play the game? TIA
Idk but you probably know the answer.
you need internet only to install or update the games, once you have the games installed, you don't need to be connected to the internet (unless if its an inline game) :)
hello, i have a question.
if i have the game card for a game, do i still need to buy the digital one from the Eshop?
No.
@@ahmedhasan4966 thx
I go physical as much as I can I buy digital if it’s only available digitally or a game has a really good sale
Thank You
Once you have downloaded the game do you have to have internet to play the games when ever you want to play the game?
@GoldenQ. it depends on the game. Some you can play ofline but it has online futers like Mario kart but let's say I wanted to play a game like ashfalt 9 or fortnight that runs off a game server so I'd need internet for that. Games like Mario kart or super Mario wonder and Zelda shold be good ofline though.
if you just plan on playing one game should you just get it digitally?
yes
I love having a collection of video game
how to back up digital games withour jailbreaking the switch?
New to Switch here. Can I not download the games to the SD card so you don’t have to replace the game cards all the time?
Physical games also take up way less storage
I mostly have digital games but I have some physical games I prefer digital though