Nintendo Switch Update Closes Popular Game Sharing Loophole: What You Need to Know!

Nintendo has released a new update for the Nintendo Switch system, which introduces features such as Virtual Game Cards in preparation for the upcoming Switch 2. However, this update has also removed the ability for users to play a single digital game online on two consoles simultaneously.

According to Eurogamer, it was formerly possible to access a game on a primary console and play it online, while another user logged into a different Switch played the same game. This capability has been disabled with the introduction of the Virtual Game Cards system.

However, users have discovered a workaround that still allows the use of a single digital game copy by setting the console to offline mode. By navigating to the user settings under your profile and enabling the Online Licenses feature, you can play a digital game without needing the Virtual Game Card, provided the game is not being used on another console or the console utilizing it is offline. The setting is described as follows:

“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 set to an offline mode, it’s still possible to play the same game simultaneously on two Switch consoles. This was confirmed by Eurogamer through testing. The main alteration is that the ability to play the same game online concurrently has been restricted.

The reaction to this change has been less than positive among fans, with many expressing their dissatisfaction on platforms like ResetEra and Reddit. The loss of simultaneous online play has particularly affected those who enjoyed playing games like Splatoon or Minecraft with family or friends.

It has been noted that this change could potentially double the expense for families with multiple children wanting to play the same Switch game together. Families that used to play together will now need to purchase additional copies of games. While the update technically closes a loophole, it was a loophole that many found beneficial, and the dissatisfaction with the new system is understandable.

This update comes just over a month before the launch of Switch 2, which will also use the same system. Additionally, the new console will incorporate Game-Key Cards, which means that many games will not have the full game on their physical cartridges and will require an online download to play fully.