Nintendo Switch Update Closes Popular Game Sharing Loophole

Nintendo has rolled out the latest system update for the Switch, introducing the innovative Virtual Game Cards system just ahead of the eagerly anticipated Switch 2 launch. This update, however, has closed a popular loophole that allowed users to play the same digital game online across two systems simultaneously.

As highlighted by Eurogamer, Switch enthusiasts were previously able to enjoy a digital game on a primary console while the game's owner logged into another Switch and played online. This convenient feature has now been eliminated with the introduction of the Virtual Game Cards system.

Despite the change, users have discovered a workaround: playing offline. By navigating to the user settings in your profile and activating the Online Licenses option, you can still play a digital game without the Virtual Game Card, provided it's not being used elsewhere or the Switch playing it is set to offline mode. Here's how the setting is described:

"If this option is enabled, purchased digital software will be playable while the console is connected to the internet, even when the virtual game card for that software isn't loaded to the console. However, when using an online licence, only the user signed into the Nintendo Account that was used to purchase the software will be able to play it; it will not be playable for other users on the console. Your virtual game cards can be used to play software regardless of this setting. Online licences cannot be used on multiple consoles at the same time. The online licence and virtual game card for a software title cannot be used at the same time."

This means that as long as one Switch is offline, you can still enjoy the same game simultaneously on two different Switches. Eurogamer has tested this method and confirmed its effectiveness. The key takeaway is that playing the same game online at the same time across two systems is no longer possible.

The gaming community has expressed significant dissatisfaction with this change, as evident from discussions on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit. Many users are frustrated that their previous game-sharing setups won't function as before, particularly missing the ability to play online together. Games like Splatoon and Minecraft, often enjoyed as family or group activities, are at the heart of these complaints.

For families, this update could mean doubling the cost of games if multiple children want to play the same Switch game together. The closure of what was a useful loophole is understandably causing frustration among those who used to play together without additional purchases.

This update comes just over a month before the launch of the Switch 2, which will also implement the Virtual Game Cards system. Additionally, the Switch 2 will introduce Game-Key Cards, where certain games will not have the full game on the cartridge and will require an online download to play.