Nintendo Reveals Switch Virtual Game Cards, Nintendo Today! App
Nintendo unveiled during the Nintendo Direct on Thursday Virtual Game Cards for Nintendo Switch and the new Nintendo Today! app. Virtual Game Cards allow users to share digital games between Switch consoles, starting in late April. The Nintendo Today! smartphone app provides Nintendo news to users, and it launched on Thursday. When users download digital games, they will receive a Virtual Game Card, which will be organized in a dedicated management screen. On that screen, players can load cards and also eject them. When ejected, the games can be transferred to another Switch over an internet connection. Local connection with the other Switch is also required, but only the first time. The process works for up to two systems.Players can also share games to other users in the same Nintendo Account Family Group. The systems must connect locally for the sharing process. After the process is complete, the player who received a game can play whenever and wherever for two weeks. After two weeks, the game is automatically returned to the original owner. Users can only share one game at a time to a particular person in the group. Save data will not be erased. The Nintendo Today! app allows users to view Nintendo news and content. The app also includes a daily Nintendo calendar featuring Nintendo events. News about the upcoming Switch 2 system will appear daily on the app after the new console's presentation on April 2.Nintendo formally unveiled its Switch 2 system on January 16. The first-look trailer indicates a physically larger system (along with a larger kickstand with more adjustable angles) that is slated for later this year. The new system will play both physical and digital Switch games in addition to Switch 2 exclusive titles. Nintendo will provide more details during its “Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 – 4.2.2025” presentation on April 2.Nintendo launched the Switch console in March 2017.The Switch console has sold 150.86 million units as of December 31. This number includes sales for the original Switch, Lite, and OLED consoles. Switch software sales amount to 1.359 billion units.The Switch surpassed Sony's PlayStation 4 and Nintendo's Game Boy/Game Boy Color as the third best-selling console of all time as of the end of 2022. It now stands behind only the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS.Source: Nintendo Direct livestream
