Nintendo has rolled out a significant system update for the Nintendo Switch, introducing a new feature called Virtual Game Cards. This update, which comes just ahead of the Switch 2 launch, has notably closed a loophole that previously allowed users to play the same digital game online across two different Switch consoles simultaneously.
As reported by Eurogamer, before this update, players could launch a game on their primary console and enjoy it online while another user logged into the same account played it on a secondary Switch. However, with the introduction of the Virtual Game Cards system, this practice is no longer possible.
Despite the new restrictions, there's still a workaround for playing a single copy of a digital game. Users have discovered that by setting their Switch to offline mode and enabling the "Online Licenses" option in their user settings, they can continue to play a digital game without the need for a Virtual Game Card. The setting's description reads:
"If this option is enabled, purchased digital software will be playable while the console is connected to the internet, even when the virtual game card for that software isn't loaded to the console. However, when using an online licence, only the user signed into the Nintendo Account that was used to purchase the software will be able to play it; it will not be playable for other users on the console. Your virtual game cards can be used to play software regardless of this setting. Online licences cannot be used on multiple consoles at the same time. The online licence and virtual game card for a software title cannot be used at the same time."
This means that as long as one of the Switches is offline, you can still play the same game across two consoles at the same time. Eurogamer has tested and confirmed the effectiveness of this method. The major change, however, is that simultaneous online play of the same game on multiple consoles is no longer supported.
The community response has been largely negative, with many fans expressing frustration on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit. The loss of the ability to play online simultaneously has been a significant point of contention, especially for families and groups who enjoyed playing games like Splatoon or Minecraft together. This change could potentially double the cost of games for families with multiple children wanting to play the same title, as they will now need to purchase additional copies.
This update comes just over a month before the launch of the Switch 2, which will also implement the Virtual Game Cards system. Additionally, the Switch 2 will use Game-Key Cards, where certain games will not have the full game on the cartridge and will require an online download to play.
