Nintendo Switch Update Closes Popular Game Sharing Loophole

Nintendo Switch enthusiasts, brace yourselves for the latest system update, which introduces the innovative Virtual Game Cards system in anticipation of the Switch 2 launch. This update, however, has put an end to a popular method for playing the same digital game online simultaneously across two different consoles. As highlighted by Eurogamer, Switch users could previously launch a game on their primary console and play it online with another player logged into the same game on a different Switch. This convenient loophole is now a thing of the past due to the new Virtual Game Cards system.

Despite this change, there's still a way to enjoy a single copy of a digital game on multiple Switches. Users have found that by going offline, they can still play the game. To do this, navigate to your profile's user settings and enable the Online Licenses option. This allows you to play a digital game without the Virtual Game Card, as long as it isn't being used elsewhere or if the Switch playing it is offline. 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 on two different Switches at the same time. Eurogamer has confirmed this workaround works. The key change is that playing the same game online simultaneously on two different consoles is no longer possible.

The gaming community has expressed frustration over this change, particularly on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit. Many users are upset that their previous game-sharing setups no longer function as they did. The loss of the ability to play online together simultaneously is a significant point of contention, with many citing games like Splatoon or Minecraft, which are often enjoyed in family or group settings.

For families, this update could mean doubling the cost of game purchases, as multiple children wanting to play the same Switch game together will now require separate copies. While the update closes a loophole, it was a valuable one for many, and it's understandable that users are already voicing their discontent.

This update comes just over a month before the Switch 2 launch, which will implement the same system. Additionally, the Switch 2 will use Game-Key Cards, meaning that a significant number of games won't have the full game on the cartridge and will require an online download.