Nintendo says it currently has no plans to stop selling physical games, even as other parts of the games industry continue moving toward digital distribution.
Bill van Zyll, Vice President and General Manager of Nintendo Latin America, said the company understands that many players still value physical releases and intends to continue supporting them.
His comments come as concerns around physical game preservation continue to grow, particularly as major publishers and platform holders increase their focus on digital sales.
Nintendo Says Consumer Preference Will Guide Its Strategy
Nintendo is continuing to offer both physical and digital games for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Van Zyll said the company has historically remained flexible about distribution formats and pays close attention to what consumers prefer.
That means Nintendo's support for cartridges is not being presented as a permanent promise. Instead, the company is indicating that physical releases will remain part of its business while enough customers continue to want them.
| Company or platform | Current physical media position |
|---|---|
| Nintendo | No current plans to abandon physical games |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Supports physical cartridges and digital games |
| Sony | Reportedly moving away from physical game production by 2028 |
| Take Two | More than 90% of business reportedly distributed digitally |
| GTA 6 | Planned as a digital only launch according to the report |
For collectors and players who prefer owning cartridges, Nintendo's position offers some reassurance.
Physical ownership can remain important for people who trade games, lend them to friends, collect boxed editions or simply prefer keeping access separate from a digital account.
Nintendo Is Not Promising Physical Games Forever
The wording of Nintendo's statement is important.
The company is not saying cartridges will remain indefinitely.
Van Zyll explained that Nintendo follows consumer behavior closely, which means its strategy could change if digital purchases become overwhelmingly dominant among its customers.
That leaves open the possibility that future Nintendo hardware could rely more heavily on digital distribution if buying habits shift significantly.
For now, however, the Switch 2 still provides both options.
This approach differs from companies that are already moving more aggressively toward digital only releases.
GTA 6 Highlights How Quickly Digital Distribution Is Growing
The source points to Take Two as an example of how far the market has moved.
CEO Strauss Zelnick has previously said that more than 90% of the company's business is distributed digitally.
That helps explain why GTA 6 is expected to launch without a physical disc version.
The comparison is notable because Grand Theft Auto is one of the industry's largest franchises. A digital only launch for a game of that scale shows that major publishers increasingly believe large audiences are willing to buy without physical media.
Nintendo's audience, however, does not necessarily behave the same way.
Switch hardware has maintained a strong physical market, particularly among collectors, families and players who regularly buy cartridges at retail.
Recent figures cited in related coverage indicate that 38.5% of Nintendo Switch 2 software sales are still physical, showing that cartridges remain a meaningful part of Nintendo's business.
Physical Games Still Have a Strong Audience
The reaction from Nintendo fans has been positive, with some players hoping the company continues supporting cartridges while other platform holders reduce their physical presence.
Physical games remain attractive for several practical reasons.
They can be resold, exchanged or collected. They also provide a visible form of ownership that does not depend entirely on storefront access or account availability.
Digital games offer advantages of their own, including convenience, instant purchases and no need to carry cartridges.
Nintendo currently appears willing to support both groups rather than forcing one format.
That position could change if consumer demand changes significantly, but there is no indication that such a move is planned today.
For now, Nintendo Switch 2 owners who prefer buying physical games can expect cartridges to remain part of the platform's software strategy.
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