Virtually Sharing
In a surprising move, Nintendo has introduced an exciting new feature called Virtual Game Card, bringing a physical game-like sharing system to digital purchases. Starting soon, any game bought on the eShop can be transformed into a Virtual Game Card, allowing seamless sharing between Switch and the upcoming Switch 2 consoles.
The feature is designed with Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership users in mind, letting up to 8 people share digital games within the same group. The setup is simple but requires one key step: the first time you share, the consoles involved must connect locally to pair up. After this initial setup, no further local connection is needed—all future sharing or revoking of games will only require an internet connection.
Once shared, games will stay on the recipient’s console for 14 days, after which they automatically return to the original owner. However, there’s a catch—each family member can only have one shared game at a time. If you send a game to someone, you can’t share another one with them until the first one is sent back, either automatically after two weeks or manually beforehand.
This new system effectively bridges the gap between digital and physical games, giving players the kind of flexibility that was previously only possible with cartridges. Nintendo has confirmed that the Virtual Game Card feature will go live by the end of April, offering a fresh way for families and friends to enjoy their digital libraries together.
