Nintendo limits a game-sharing loophole as it introduces Virtual Game Cards
- Nintendo has introduced Virtual Game Cards to share digital games on the Switch, but also closed a loophole that allowed simultaneous online play.
- The old system, which still exists as an option, no longer allows two people to play shared games online at the same time.
- Virtual Game Cards can be managed from both the Switch and a website, providing more flexibility for game sharing.
- Nintendo has maintained control over Virtual Game Card management, allowing users to access them from any device with an internet connection.
- The update aims to improve online gaming security and prevent unauthorized sharing of games on the Switch.
The Nintendo Switch just got a new update that adds Virtual Game Cards as a way to share digital games with other people. But the update also closes a loophole that would let you play shared games online at the same time as somebody you were sharing the game with, as reported by Eurogamer.
Before the introduction of Virtual Game Cards, the only way Nintendo allowed you to share digital Switch games was by logging into your Nintendo Account on a second Switch and downloading the game to that console. Using that system, which is now available under “Online License Settings,” it was possible for you and a friend to play that game that you owned online simultaneously.
Following the new Switch update, that digital sharing system is still an option – you don’t have to use Virtual Game Cards. However, with the old system, two people can’t play a shared game online at the same time anymore, which could be a disappointment if you relied on it ahead of this update.
If you do opt to use Virtual Game Cards, Nintendo won’t just force you to manage those on a Switch or Switch 2; the company will also let you manage them from a website, which could be handy if you don’t have your Switch nearby but want to share a game.