Nintendo has rolled out a new system update for the Switch, introducing the Virtual Game Cards system in anticipation of the upcoming Switch 2 launch. This update has notably closed a popular loophole that allowed users to play the same digital game online across two different Switch consoles simultaneously.
Previously, as highlighted by Eurogamer, Switch owners could utilize the primary console to launch a game and play it online, while another user logged into the same account on a secondary Switch could join in. This method, however, has been rendered obsolete with the introduction of the Virtual Game Cards.
Despite the closure of this loophole, there's still a way to enjoy a single digital game across two Switches. Users have found that by toggling to offline mode, they can continue playing. This can be achieved by navigating to the user settings and enabling the "Online Licenses" option. Here's how the setting is described:
"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 concurrently across two Switches. Eurogamer has confirmed that this workaround functions as expected. The key takeaway is that the ability to play online at the same time on multiple consoles is no longer available.
The gaming community, particularly on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit, has expressed significant dissatisfaction with this change. Many users are upset that their previous game-sharing arrangements are disrupted, especially the loss of simultaneous online play. This change particularly impacts families and groups who enjoyed playing games like Splatoon or Minecraft together, as it may now require purchasing additional copies to maintain the same level of shared gaming experience.
With the Switch 2 set to launch in just over a month, this new system will also apply to the next-generation console. The Switch 2 will further introduce Game-Key Cards, where certain games will not have the full game data on the cartridge and will necessitate an online download to play.
