Nintendo Switch Update Closes Popular Game Sharing Loophole

The latest Nintendo Switch system update has introduced new features, including the Virtual Game Cards system, in anticipation of the upcoming Switch 2 launch. This update, however, has closed a previously exploited method that allowed users to play the same digital game online across two different Switch consoles simultaneously.

As highlighted by Eurogamer, before this update, Switch users could launch a game on the primary console and play it online, while the game's owner could also log into another Switch to play the same game concurrently. This convenient loophole has been eliminated with the introduction of the Virtual Game Cards system.

Despite this change, users have found that it's still possible to play a single digital game copy by going offline. By navigating to your profile's user settings and enabling the Online Licenses option, you can play a digital game without the Virtual Game Card, provided it isn't being played elsewhere or the Switch in use is set offline. The setting's description reads:

"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."

In essence, if one Switch is offline, you can still enjoy the same game simultaneously on two different Switches. Eurogamer has tested and confirmed that this workaround functions as described. The significant alteration is that the previous method of playing the same game online at the same time across two consoles is no longer viable.

The gaming community has expressed dissatisfaction with this change, with users on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit voicing their frustrations over the disruption of their previous game-sharing setups. The inability to play online simultaneously is particularly irksome, as it affects families and groups who enjoy multiplayer games like Splatoon or Minecraft together.

For families, this means potentially doubling the cost of acquiring games if multiple children want to play the same Switch game simultaneously. Households that used to play together will now need to purchase additional copies. While the update closes a loophole, it was a beneficial one, and it's understandable that users are already expressing frustration over the new system.

This update comes just over a month before the launch of the Switch 2, which will implement the same Virtual Game Cards system. Additionally, the Switch 2 will use Game-Key Cards, where many games will not have the full game data on the cartridge and will require an online download to complete the installation.