As Nintendo gears up for the upcoming June launch of the Switch 2, the company has initiated a system update for the original Switch. This update introduces the innovative Virtual Game Card system, designed to facilitate sharing digital downloads. However, users of the Switch have found that this new sharing mechanism imposes more restrictions on concurrent online play across multiple consoles.
The Virtual Game Card system, unveiled in March, enables players to transfer a digital game license from one Switch or Switch 2 console to another linked through a single Nintendo Account or a family group account. Users must be online to transfer the game initially, but once downloaded, the system allows offline play for the games associated with the Virtual Game Card.
For players who prefer not to frequently switch their virtual games between systems, Nintendo has included an “Online License” feature within the console’s system settings. When activated, this feature permits the Switch to verify online access to the game if it is loaded without a Virtual Game Card present. This option is particularly advantageous for those looking to share games across three or more Switch devices.
Transitioning from Previous Systems
The introduction of Virtual Game Cards and the Online License feature marks a notable shift from Nintendo’s earlier approach to managing digital games across several Switch units. Previously, any number of users on a primary console could access digital games without requiring an online verification. Only secondary consoles needed online access to confirm ownership upon launching a game.
While the previous system may have been challenging to configure, it offered significant versatility regarding game sharing. According to Nintendo’s official FAQ, until recently, multiple users could play a single digital game simultaneously, provided the Nintendo Account that purchased the game was logged into the secondary console with an active Internet connection.
This guidance, however, has been removed from the current FAQ on Nintendo’s support site, which now redirects to a new page detailing the Virtual Game Card system. The updated FAQ discusses the Online License feature but fails to mention simultaneous access to a single digital game on multiple consoles.
Tests conducted by Ars confirm that attempting to load a digital game while it is actively being played on another Switch results in a “play is being suspended” error, even if one console has a loaded Virtual Game Card for the game and both consoles belong to the same family group.
Players can access different games simultaneously from the same digital library on two Switches, provided at least one is using a loaded Virtual Game Card.
A Possible Alternative
For those seeking to play a single digital game on multiple Switch consoles at the same time, a partial workaround exists. One console with a loaded Virtual Game Card should be set to Airplane mode, and the Online License feature should be enabled for the account that purchased the game. This setup allows the first console to play offline while permitting the second console to access the same game simultaneously.
However, this workaround comes with significant limitations; one of the consoles must remain offline, preventing players from participating in online multiplayer sessions, such as a race in Mario Kart 8. Additionally, downloadable content associated with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription may not be accessible on the offline console.
Nintendo’s decision to tighten digital game sharing is somewhat unexpected, considering that players with a physical game cannot play on two consoles at once. The flexibility that allowed players to share digital games has now been significantly reduced. With the Switch 2 on the horizon, Nintendo aims to ensure that gamers purchase their own copies of games for online play, except in specific cases involving the GameShare system. As the company raises prices for popular titles, this change could impose unforeseen costs on families with multiple Switch devices.
