Latest news with #GameKeyCards
Business Insider
21-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Nintendo Stock (NTDOF) Sinks as Third-Party Switch 2 Game Sales Disappoint
Nintendo (NTDOF) stock was down on Friday as the video game company faces a unique problem with the Switch 2. Third-party developers aren't seeing the sales they expected from the console, despite it breaking records with 3.5 million units sold in just four days. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter One developer even claimed that sales of its games on the Switch 2 were 'below our lowest estimates.' Instead, 81% of physical Switch 2 game sales were for first-party titles, such as Nintendo's Mario Kart World or its upgraded Switch 1 games. This could present a problem for Nintendo in the future. If third-party developers can't get their games to sell on the Switch 2, they might drop support for the console. This would reduce the variety of titles available on the gaming device, potentially limiting its appeal to consumers. What's Behind Poor Third-Party Game Sales? There are a couple of major problems that third-party developers have to deal with on the Switch 2. The first is Game Key Cards. These are unique cartridges sold by Nintendo that don't have the game on them. Instead, they grant the user the ability to download the game from Nintendo's online store. These are largely used by third-party developers to avoid the costs of cartridges with more storage. The problem with Game Key Cards is that they appeal to no one. Physical collectors want the game on the cart and digital buyers don't want to have to switch between carts to play games. Game Key Cards do neither of these things. Highlighting this is the performance of CD Projekt's (OTGLY) Cyberpunk 2077. It's the best-selling third-party game on the Switch 2 and is one of the only titles not from Nintendo with the full game on the cart. Old Games and High Prices The next issue with third-party Switch 2 games are their age. Many of these games have been out for years on other consoles and PC before they came out on the Switch 2. On top of that, developers are charging much more for these titles, despite them being discounted on other platforms. Yakuza 0 is a prime example of this with its $50 price tag, compared to its $20 price on Steam, and discounts that have dropped it as low as $5. This has Sega (SGAMY) asking gamers to pay more than double the normal price for a 10-year-old game just to play it on the Switch 2. On top of that, the physical release is a Game Key Card, limiting its value to physical collectors. NTDOF Stock Movement Today Nintendo stock was down 3.65% as of Friday morning but is still up 50.73% year-to-date. The stock has also risen 72.21% over the past 12 months. Nintendo needs to figure out its third-party game problem, or it might risk slowing or reversing its recent stock growth. Is Nintendo Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Turning to Wall Street, the analysts' consensus rating for Nintendo is Moderate Buy, based on eight Buy, two Hold, and a single Sell rating over the past three months. With that comes an average NTDOF stock price target of $92.26, representing a potential 5.11% upside for the shares.
The Verge
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Here are the biggest Nintendo Switch 2 launch games you can buy
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 5th, and with it, so did a bunch of games. Some are first-party Nintendo titles, though most are third-party offerings, including some notable ports of games we've been enjoying for a while on other gaming platforms. We bundled together all of the Switch 2 accessories in one, easy to browse article, so we're doing the same for the launch games. In addition to prices, we'll include install size, and whether the game is on the cartridge in full, or if it's one of Nintendo's Game-Key Cards (they're cartridges that entitle you to a digital download, and that can be resold without issue).
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed 3 director 'hates' the Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Card system, 'We're losing some of what made the business special'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Far Cry 4 and Revenge of the Savage Planet director Alex Hutchinson thinks Nintendo's Game Key Cards are "sort of lame" The director thinks Nintendo will "get away with it" because of "the power of nostalgia in our business" He believes "we're losing some of what made the business special" Alex Hutchinson, the director of Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed 3, has said that the Nintendo Switch 2's controversial Game Key Cards are "sort of lame". Speaking in an interview with VideoGamer following the release of his new game, Revenge of the Savage Planet, Hutchinson said he sees the appeal of digital downloads as someone who has released both physical and digital games, but that he isn't a fan of Nintendo's new system. "It's funny that Nintendo is going to get away with it," Hutchinson said. "It just shows you the power of nostalgia in our business that the way they will beat up Microsoft versus Nintendo is just not the same, especially in Europe. It's like, 'oh, Nintendo's doing it, alright we're not gonna say much.' "I hate it," he continued. "I think it's sort of lame. I don't know, I just feel like it's getting away… we're losing some of what made the business special. Trading Game Boy cartridges at school, or, you know, DS for the modern audience. There's something nice about that." Game key Cards are physical Switch 2 games that will contain a download "key" on the cartridge, but don't include the full game data. While new Switch 2 titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will offer standard physical game cards like the original Switch, some third-party titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, and more will be Game Key Card only releases. There are also rumors that Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will be a Game Key Card, as well as The Duskbloods, but we'll have to wait and see. In case you missed it, the Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live. Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders live: latest UK stock updates as My Nintendo Store's pre-order date arrives, while US pre-orders remain delayed Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games that you'll be able to pick up and play on June 5 Rockstar confirms the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was all 'gameplay and cutscenes' captured 'entirely in-game' on the PS5
