Code-in-box games still seem to happening on Nintendo Switch 2

With Nintendo Switch 2 introducing game-key cards, there was the hope that code-in-box releases – which were somewhat common on Switch 1 – would no longer be happening. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Many third-party Nintendo Switch 2 titles at launch will be game-key cards. This means that you’re getting a cartridge, but as there’s no data, you still need to download everything from the internet. It’s still much better than a code-in-box release, which doesn’t let you give the copy to a friend or sell it later on.

Split Fiction appears to be the first title with a code-in-box release on Nintendo Switch 2. Retail listings have surfaced showing the boxart with a notice stating that it’s a full game download. Technically the warning is in French, but it stands nonetheless. You can see the boxart for yourself above.

Split Fiction will be available for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, and if you want to pre-order the code-in-box release, you can do so at Best Buy here. Meanwhile, we have a list of all game-key card releases on the system here.

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