The latest system update for the Nintendo Switch introduces the new Virtual Game Cards system, which is set to be a key feature ahead of the upcoming Switch 2 launch. However, this update has brought about a significant change by closing a previously utilized method for playing the same digital game online across two systems simultaneously.
As reported by Eurogamer, Switch users were able to exploit a loophole where the primary console could run a game online while the game's owner was logged into another Switch. This method has now been rendered obsolete with the introduction of the Virtual Game Cards system.
Despite this change, users have found a workaround to play a single copy of a digital game by going offline. By navigating to the user settings and enabling the Online Licenses option, players can access a digital game without the Virtual Game Card, provided it's not being played elsewhere or the Switch is set to offline mode. 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."
In essence, if one Switch is offline, you can still play the same game across two Switches at the same time. Eurogamer has confirmed that this workaround is effective. The major shift, however, is that the ability to play the same game online simultaneously on two consoles has been eliminated.
The gaming community has expressed dissatisfaction with this change, with users on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit voicing their frustrations over the disruption to their previous game-sharing setups. The loss of the ability to play online at the same time is particularly irksome, as it affects families and groups who enjoy playing games like Splatoon or Minecraft together.
For families, this change could mean doubling the cost of games if multiple children want to play the same Switch game simultaneously. This new system, while closing a loophole, was a beneficial one for many, and it's understandable that users are already expressing their discontent.
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 introduce Game-Key Cards, where certain games will not have the full game on the cartridge and will require an online download to play.
