Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game cartridges will include both the original game and its upgrade, eliminating the need for separate downloads.
Switch 2 Edition games feature enhanced visuals and additional features, with upgrade packs available separately or free for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.
Previously thought to be Switch 1 carts with a separate download code for the upgrades, Nintendo has now clarified that the Switch 2 Edition cartridges contain both the actual game and the upgrade.
Switch 2 Editions Games Have Complete Cartridges
According to Vooks, a Nintendo spokesperson clarified that the cart will contain the full package, dispelling confusion about earlier speculation.
That physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code). Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card.
While most Switch 1 games will run on the latest Switch hardware through backward compatibility, Switch 2 Edition games will include marked improvements, such as upgraded visuals and additional features. Upgrade packs are also sold separately, or can be downloaded for free if you are a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber.
Some of the Switch 2 Edition games that have been announced so far are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 + Star-Crossed World, Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV, and more.
