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Soundwave on 11 May 2025
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JackHandy said:
Otter said:

This explains why so many devs are moving to game keys... Still I think all big publishers like SE should be able to bite that bullet.

An unfortunate situation but a reality of catridges. Could a solution not be found where the game is in fact fully present on a cheap high storage catridge but needs to be played/transferred to the systems internal memory? Realistically though I think 99% of their audience is completely fine with the game key method.

I find it interesting that here we are in 2025, and we're seeing the same sort of thing happen that happened to the N64. A Nintendo console being hamstrung by its adherence to cartridges. Crazy.

This is nothing like the N64. 

I WISH we had freaking digital download options in the N64 it would've made the system 100x better. N64 carts cost like $30 all-in, Switch 2 carts are maybe $8, the cost isn't close.  

Physical games are just not feasible in the modern industry, when you can have a digital copy that is free of any shipping/packaging + retailer cut fee that alone right there is like $15 cheaper. 

Physical games don't make sense in 2025, that's all there is to it. The Switch 2 cartridges are likely not that expensive, but why even bother giving away another $8 of your profit margin plus the packaging cost plus shipping cost plus retail cut cost as well. It doesn't make sense. 

If high speed internet and mass storage was a thing back in the day, game key cards would've been a GODSEND for the N64. It would've opened the door to $49.99 games + a bunch of games like Resident Evil 3, Metal Gear Solid, etc. etc. would've likely have been possible on the system with no fuss. I wish we have Game Key Cards and digital downloads an option back in the late 90s, it would've given the N64 way better games at a much more affordable cost.