Nintendo Unveils Virtual Game Card Hiding Feature

Nintendo has introduced a new feature with the latest Switch update: the Virtual Game Card (VGC) system. This system allows users to hide their game cards from the prying eyes of others, offering a level of privacy that many have been seeking. As demonstrated by a user on X/Twitter, you can now conceal your Virtual Game Cards from the acquired list on Nintendo's VGC portal. This means that anyone perusing your list of Virtual Game Cards will not see any games you've chosen to hide, for whatever personal reasons you might have.

I personally tested this feature and successfully hid games such as Suikoden I&II HD Remaster and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While these games still appear on my OLED Switch's list when installed or loaded, they disappear from the list once uninstalled. The hidden games can be accessed through the "Redownload Software" section, but to view them, you must navigate to the "Can't Find Software?" section and log into your Nintendo account. The same applies to the website, where hidden games are tucked away in a separate folder under the "Can't Find Software?" option.

This method can be a bit cumbersome, as you'll need to unhide and reload games to play them again. Additionally, my account still showed as playing Suikoden I&II HD Remaster when I booted it up, and this activity was also recorded in my Play Activity. However, this feature could serve as a useful parental control tool if you're sharing consoles and want to keep certain games like Mortal Kombat or Doom out of reach. It might also come in handy if you have games in your Switch catalog that you'd prefer not to display at social gatherings.

With this update, your Virtual Game Cards can now be hidden away. The latest firmware update also includes redesigned icons, a system transfer feature in preparation for the upcoming Switch 2, and the closure of a popular loophole for game sharing. For more detailed information on the new Nintendo Switch firmware update, you can read further here.