Nippon Ichi Software reports no sales difference for Game-Key Cards

Kenzo Saruhashi, President and CEO of Nippon Ichi Software, stated during PAX West 2026 that the company sees no difference in sales performance between traditional physical cartridges and the controversial Game-Key Cards used on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Game-Key Cards contain only a digital key for downloading software rather than the game data itself. While third-party developers favor the format due to lower production costs, the practice has faced criticism from consumers concerned about game preservation, server dependency, and the sense of genuine ownership. Despite these concerns, Saruhashi noted that sales figures for titles using the format, such as Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless, remain comparable to those on standard physical media.