"Nintendo Switch Update Closes Popular Game Sharing Loophole"

Nintendo has released a new system update for the Switch, introducing Virtual Game Cards ahead of the Switch 2 launch. This update has notably closed a loophole that allowed players to enjoy the same digital game online across two different systems simultaneously. As reported by Eurogamer, before this update, Switch owners could play a game online on their primary console while another user logged into the same account played on a secondary Switch.

With the new Virtual Game Cards system in place, this method is no longer viable. However, users have discovered a workaround. By going offline, players can still access a single copy of a digital game. To do this, navigate to your profile's user settings and enable the Online Licenses option. This allows you to play a digital game without the Virtual Game Card, provided it isn't being played elsewhere or the Switch it's on is set to offline mode. 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 play the same game simultaneously across two Switches. Eurogamer has tested and confirmed the effectiveness of this system. The key change is that the ability to play the same game online at the same time on two consoles is no longer possible.

The gaming community has expressed dissatisfaction with this change, with users on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit voicing their frustrations over the impact on their game sharing setups. The removal of the ability to play online together has particularly affected families and groups who enjoyed games like Splatoon or Minecraft. For families with multiple children wanting to play together, this means potentially doubling the cost of games, as they'll need to purchase additional copies to continue playing as before. While this update closes a loophole, it was a valuable one for many, and the new system has already stirred frustration among fans.

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 use Game-Key Cards, where certain games will require an online download to function fully, as the entire game won't be stored on the cartridge.