Nintendo will soon let you loan your digital games to your friends

[Cal Jeffrey]

Why it matters: Digital game purchases offer the convenience of instant gratification without leaving your couch, but they lack the portability of physical media. Nintendo wants to make it easier to play your digital library from any system with Virtual Game Cards.

For the first time ever, Nintendo is hosting two Nintendo Direct events almost back-to-back. The first was today, featuring everything coming to the Switch (masthead). The second is set for April 2 – less than a week away. That one will focus solely on the upcoming Switch 2.

Aside from several new games and just about as many remasters, today's Direct introduced an interesting new concept called "Virtual Game Cards." It's a more streamlined way to share digital games between devices.

Virtual Game Cards make digital purchases work more like physical media. Users with a second Switch can quickly transfer purchased games back and forth after a one-time local verification handshake between devices. It is a universal feature, so it will work for standard, Lite, and Switch 2 variants. Additionaly, since the Switch 2 is backward compatible, the feature will make game migration a breeze.

The feature also provides a way to share games with friends or family. Users can have up to eight devices in their Nintendo Family Group. Owners can "loan" games to anyone in that group, with a few significant limitations.

First, the two devices must be on the same WiFi network during the exchange. After that, the game is playable anywhere. Second, users can lend their friends only one game at a time. Unlike physical titles, users cannot just transfer their library to a friend en masse. Third, loaned games are good for 14 days. After that, the card automatically returns to the lender. Lastly, users cannot play games they have loaned out.

Similar to physical media, a virtual card represents the game license, not a copy of it. The feature enforces this restriction even when the user owns both systems. For example, transferring Metroid Prime 4 from your Switch to your Switch 2 means it is no longer available on the first device until you move it back. This issue should not be too troublesome as long as the the interface is as simple as moving a game from one box to another.

Nintendo Virtual Cards will not revolutionize digital downloads or make virtual libraries better than owning physical games. However, it does take some of the headaches out of Nintendo's digital rights management scheme. It should also make it much easier to make the switch to the Switch 2 (pun intended).

Nintendo Virtual Cards are coming to first-gen systems in late April via a software update and will be available on Switch 2 at release. Watch next week's Nintendo Direct for an official launch date.

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Nintendo will soon let you loan your digital games to your friends

 

[NumberNine]

This superficial effort seems more trouble than its worth. The 14-day limitation would make it worthless to me.

 

[mgwerner]

Oh, how nice of them to "allow" a person to do what they want with a product they paid for in full.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Physical media is a lie!

 

[Megalomaniac]

I can loan my physics media to my friends without your consent.

 

[The Talking Tech]

With a 14 day limitation?
what a half-assed feature, we know well most people would take about 30 days if not longer to complete a game....you would have to be totally unemployed, no family and no social life whatsoever in order to accomplish anything significant in a game in 14 days.

Imagine jumping into a game with a clock rushing you to finish it....no thank you.

 

[The Talking Tech]

Physical media is a lie!

You would have to be over the age of 20 to fully understand the concept and importance of physical media.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Least "your friend" can't use it as a beer mat , or lay it on a rough carpet.

Remember that game I loaned you, no I bought that game

Always look on the bright side of life

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Sounds like a bad knockoff of steam family sharing.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Oh, how nice of them to "allow" a person to do what they want with a product they paid for in full.

You don't own such games. Period.

Relatedly, you don't own rental cars that you “paid for in full” either.

 

[mgwerner]

You don't own such games. Period.

Relatedly, you don't own rental cars that you “paid for in full” either.

Learn the difference between "purchase," as used in the article, and "rent." You don't "pay in full" for a rental, you "rent." Inigo Montoya would like a few words with you.

 

[yRaz]

You would have to be over the age of 20 to fully understand the concept and importance of physical media.

That's generous

 

[mgwerner]

You would have to be over the age of 20 to fully understand the concept and importance of physical media.

"That's generous"

Indeed. I would go with over 30.

 

[stewi0001]

Also love how they figure this out by the end life of the switch. I'm assuming it will be incorporated with switch 2.

If you borrow a virtual game for over 14 days, Nintendo's lawyers order a cease and desist

 

[The Talking Tech]

"That's generous"

Indeed. I would go with over 30.

Not generous at all, if someone grew up playing and collecting physical games in the last 20 years, that person would have the appreciation for it, as opposed to being a 50 years old person that prefers digital media regardless.

It's not about the age of the individual but the desire to actual OWN something you enjoy.

 

[The Talking Tech]

That's generous

Not generous at all...if someone grew up playing and collecting physical games in the last 20 years, that person would have the appreciation for it, as opposed to being a 50 years old person that prefers digital media regardless.

It's not about the age of the individual but the desire to actual OWN something you enjoy.

 

[Billybobjoey]

I'll give props to Nintendo for this one. It's still the most progressive sharing program for digital games of any of the 3 major consoles (Playstation I believe can share to accounts on the same system, Xbox I think you have to have some sort of family thing set up and still only applies to the same console? Correct me if I'm wrong). Steam still does it best, you can share your entire library at once with a friend/family as long as you log in on their computer, and the only stipulation is that only one person can be playing it at one time which makes sense.

A step in the right direction, and I certainly didn't expect it from Nintendo out of all of them.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

I'll give props to Nintendo for this one. It's still the most progressive sharing program for digital games of any of the 3 major consoles (Playstation I believe can share to accounts on the same system, Xbox I think you have to have some sort of family thing set up and still only applies to the same console? Correct me if I'm wrong). Steam still does it best, you can share your entire library at once with a friend/family as long as you log in on their computer, and the only stipulation is that only one person can be playing it at one time which makes sense.

A step in the right direction, and I certainly didn't expect it from Nintendo out of all of them.

The family sharing is okay on Steam, but still limited.

Anyone in my household could "share" my account. However, my brother lives about 3 hours away and we cannot share. There are limitations to how useful Steam's family sharing works.

 

[Cal Jeffrey]

I'll give props to Nintendo for this one. It's still the most progressive sharing program for digital games of any of the 3 major consoles (Playstation I believe can share to accounts on the same system, Xbox I think you have to have some sort of family thing set up and still only applies to the same console? Correct me if I'm wrong). Steam still does it best, you can share your entire library at once with a friend/family as long as you log in on their computer, and the only stipulation is that only one person can be playing it at one time which makes sense.

A step in the right direction, and I certainly didn't expect it from Nintendo out of all of them.

I think Sony is the most restrictive. You can only play a digital game on the console you designate as "Primary." If you want to play it on a second console in, say, another room or whatever, you have to go into settings and redesignate the primary console. So it's a pain in the ***, but here is the kicker. It's been a while since I checked (PS4 era, so it may have changed), but you can only change your primary console something like 5 times per year. PER YEAR? Really? That's why I stopped buying multiple PlayStations. Ever since the first-gen PS, I've had two consoles, one in the living room and one in the bedroom, so I wouldn't have to hog TV time. This primary console policy started with the PS4. I found out after buying a PS4 Pro and trying to install my games to it. It's a total joke. Trust me. I switch (used to) from the living room to the bedroom more than five times per year.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Learn the difference between "purchase," as used in the article, and "rent." You don't "pay in full" for a rental, you "rent." Inigo Montoya would like a few words with you.

You purchase a limited-use license of a video game. Sorry, you don't understand what all the words in that sentence mean.

Relatedly, you do "pay in full" to rent a car, otherwise, they don't hand you the keys. Identically to the above, your "full" payment is for limited use of said product. Thus, highlighting that "paying in full" is not some magic legal term that you understand and the business does not, merely that you apparently don't understand what you are actually paying for.

 

[mgwerner]

You purchase a limited-use license of a video game. Sorry, you don't understand what all the words in that sentence mean.

Relatedly, you do "pay in full" to rent a car, otherwise, they don't hand you the keys. Identically to the above, your "full" payment is for limited use of said product. Thus, highlighting that "paying in full" is not some magic legal term that you understand and the business does not, merely that you apparently don't understand what you are actually paying for.

Nope. Just because you buy into the misuse of terms by a corporation and, it appears, agree to their misleading consumers does not make it true.

To purchase is to obtain or acquire as the owner a good, in this case a computer program, until such time as that good is resold. The owner of the good obtains full use of said good by right of purchase.
To rent is to pay for the use of a good, in your given case a car, for a set amount of time. The owner of the good is not the renter, and the owner obtains controlling rights to said good.

Nintendo is renting games but calling it a purchase, as are Apple, Spotify, etc. The public who participate in these transactions have bought into the lie, as you appear to have.

Those of us who actually do understand what we are being asked to pay for simply refuse to participate.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Nope. Just because you buy into the misuse of terms by a corporation and, it appears, agree to their misleading consumers does not make it true.

To purchase is to obtain or acquire as the owner a good, in this case a computer program, until such time as that good is resold. The owner of the good obtains full use of said good by right of purchase.
To rent is to pay for the use of a good, in your given case a car, for a set amount of time. The owner of the good is not the renter, and the owner obtains controlling rights to said good.

Nintendo is renting games but calling it a purchase, as are Apple, Spotify, etc. The public who participate in these transactions have bought into the lie, as you appear to have.

Those of us who actually do understand what we are being asked to pay for simply refuse to participate.

Your personal interpretation of Webster's definition of the word purchase has zero impact on the reality of intellectual property law.

There is no "lie" just because you haven't read the agreement during the transaction or at least familiarized yourself with the general principals of licensing.

You should refuse to participate in any exchange you don't like. If enough people refuse, the market will adapt. However, smug sophomoric rants will do nothing to the marketplace.

 

[mgwerner]

Still nope. You name says it all, and if you must stand upon your soapbox and be wrong, that is your choice. For those of us who understand the language, and not "interpret" it as you do, we'll just ignore you.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Still nope. You name says it all, and if you must stand upon your soapbox and be wrong, that is your choice. For those of us who understand the language, and not "interpret" it as you do, we'll just ignore you.

I notice you can't counter any of my arguments, so you've dropped to childishly attacking my username.

The major university that pays me to teach these things is confident in my expertise, but I can't teach someone who refuses to learn.

 

[user478318]

With a 14 day limitation?
what a half-assed feature, we know well most people would take about 30 days if not longer to complete a game....you would have to be totally unemployed, no family and no social life whatsoever in order to accomplish anything significant in a game in 14 days.

Imagine jumping into a game with a clock rushing you to finish it....no thank you.

You don't understand, they allow lending to draw you into buying the game, if they give 30 days, no one would buy the games anymore.