this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2026
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Literally the same thing publishers and Steam did to build a PC gaming monopoly.
They know G*mers are dumbasses
Game keys are much better, as they can be resold. It's similar to what Xbox is doing.
They'll become useless plastic when the eShop servers inevitably shut down. They have less functional longevity than an NES cartridge.
I doubt that'll be true.
The Wii, 3DS, and Wii U's shops still let you re-download games you previously purchased and also download updates for new physical games you get. I imagine it'll be a similar situation with the key cards, where if you get one after the eventual shutdown you'll still be able to download it.
Would I still prefer a card with the actual game on it? Of course. But I suppose this is still alright.
You're right, but no one's going to run those servers forever. If Nintendo goes under, all that's for naught. If they decide the Wii or 3DS is no longer supported, we're all SOL. Meanwhile, Cartridges still work. Games that don't need to trigger a license check and have everything they need on the disc, will continue to work forever. That is the future we all want.